FDA Eases Regulations on Food Coloring Labels
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Thursday a shift in federal regulations regarding how companies can label their products concerning artificial colors.
According to the FDA, brands are now permitted to advertise their products as “no artificial colors” if the colors used are derived from natural sources or plants.
“If a product doesn’t use petroleum-based colors, companies will have the opportunity to indicate that they are ‘free of artificial colors,'” the FDA explained. In the past, such claims could only be made when no colors at all were added, whether they were naturally sourced or not.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed support for this policy change. He noted that it simplifies the pathway for businesses while simultaneously promoting food safety initiatives.
“This is real progress,” RFK Jr. stated. “We’re facilitating the shift away from synthetic petroleum-based colors towards safer, naturally sourced alternatives. This shift aligns with our larger goal of encouraging Americans to consume real food and improve national health.”
In addition, the FDA has expanded its list of approved natural food colorants, now including beetroot red and increasing the allowed use of spirulina extract. This brings the total number of approved coloring options to six under the current administration.
Health officials believe this change acknowledges that natural colorants shouldn’t fall under the classification of artificial. FDA Commissioner Marty McCulley remarked, “Labeling naturally derived colors as ‘artificial’ can be confusing for consumers and may discourage companies from pursuing alternative food coloring sources. By eliminating this confusion, we’re making it easier for companies to incorporate these colors into the foods families consume regularly.”
As part of broader initiatives aimed at promoting health, both HHS and FDA began taking steps in April 2025 to phase out petroleum-based synthetic colors from the food supply.
Earlier in January 2025, health authorities banned the red dye known as Red 3 (erythrosine) over concerns about cancer risks. Food manufacturers need to remove it from their products by January 2027, while pharmaceutical companies are given until January 2028 to comply.
