05/09/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/09/2025 08:45
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it granted three new color additive petitions that will expand the palette of available colors from natural sources for manufacturers to safely use in food.
The FDA is in line with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s priority to phase out petroleum-based dyes in the nation's food supply as part of the administration's broader initiative to Make America Healthy Again.
"Today we take a major step to Make America Healthy Again," said HHS Secretary Kennedy. "For too long, our food system has relied on synthetic, petroleum-based dyes that offer no nutritional value and pose unnecessary health risks. We're removing these dyes and approving safe, natural alternatives-to protect families and support healthier choices."
Since the HHS and FDA announcement last month during a press conferenceExternal Link Disclaimer at HHS on petroleum-based food dyes, more U.S. food manufacturers have committedExternal Link Disclaimer to removing them within the FDA's set time frame of the end of next year.
"On April 22, I said the FDA would soon approve several new color additives and would accelerate our review of others. I'm pleased to report that promises made, have been promises kept," said FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, M.D., M.P.H. "FDA staff have been moving quickly to expedite the publication of these decisions, underscoring our serious intent to transition away from petroleum-based dyes in the food supply and provide new colors from natural sources."
The color additive petitions approved today are for:
Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Chapter VII, section 721), color additives are subject to FDA approval to determine whether they are safe before they may be used in food. The FDA determines whether an additive is safe to use by considering the projected human dietary exposure to the color additive, the additive's toxicological data, and other relevant information, such as published literature. Once the FDA approves a color additive petition, any manufacturer can use the coloring for the approved uses.
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