FDA is considering three petitions to expand the use, selection and production of natural food colors – including options for blue and yellow – as manufacturers race to replace synthetic dyes with natural alternatives amid pressure from HHS and consumers.
Plant-based color supplier GNT USA, the Gardenia Blue Interest Group and the International Association of Color Manufacturers filed petitions with FDA to amend the color additive regulations, according to notifications in the Federal Register Aug. 19.
The three petitions illustrate different ways the natural-color market is expanding: GNT is seeking authorization for a new plant-based color source; the Gardenia Blue Interest Group wants to broaden the uses of a recently approved blue; and IACM is seeking to change the manufacturing requirements for an existing natural color.
The petitions are the latest in a series of filings and FDA approvals to expand the palette of approved natural food colors, as the agency works toward its goal to remove petroleum-based food dyes from the US food system by the end of this year with the voluntary help of CPG makers.
FDA review of natural dyes has been start-and-stop
In April 2025, FDA said it would accelerate the review and approval of new natural colors – a promise it made good on the following month when it approved petitions to allow the expanded use of butterfly pea flower extract to create bright blues, purples and greens, calcium phosphate as a vibrant white and Galdieria extract blue from unicellular red algae, based on a petition from Fermantalg.
But the review process has not been entirely smooth sailing.
The agency recently delayed the effective date of a final rule approving beetroot red following objections and, in a separate order, amended the use of spirulina extract to tighten heavy-metal specifications.
The flurry of regulatory activity came after HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy announced FDA’s efforts to phase out synthetic colors from the food supply, including the agency’s intention to revoke authorization for Citrus Red No. 2 – for which comments are due Aug. 24 – and Orange B, for which the revocation goes into effect Sept. 8. At the same time, Kennedy indicated industry stakeholders and the agency had come to an “understanding” to phase out six additional synthetic colors, including Red 40 and Yellow 5, by the end of this year.
Dozens of states independently have passed or proposed legislation limiting the sale of items with synthetic dyes in certain settings within their boundaries.
GNT files safflower color additive petition
Against this backdrop, Exberry color supplier GNT filed a petition for approval to use safflower extract to create plant-based yellow color additives that could be used across a range of food and beverage categories from tortillas and breakfast cereals to salad dressing and ready-to-use broths as well as a range of confections and more.
“Safflower concentrate offers numerous technical advantages, including good pH, heat and light stability. Its water-soluble properties make it especially relevant for beverages and other applications where a clear yellow appearance is desired,” according to the company.
“Product developers need flexible color options that can support different applications, processing conditions and shade targets. The value of safflower concentrate is not limited to yellow shades. Its water-soluble properties allow it to be used on its own or in blends with other plant-based colors to help manufacturers fine-tune a broad spectrum of bright, stable shades,” said Alice Lee, technical marketing manager at GNT USA.
While the petition is timely given the crunch some manufacturers are under to replace synthetic dyes, GNT was working on the petition long before HHS strong armed the phase-out of some dyes.
“This filing marks an important step in a long and rigorous process. Bringing a new color additive petition to this stage takes deep technical understanding, comprehensive scientific work, and careful regulatory preparation to support the safety and intended use of the color. For safflower, that has meant significant investment and nearly a decade of research and safety evaluation,” said Jeannette O’Brien, VP of sales & marketing at GNT USA.
FDA could expand the use of gardenia blue
The Gardenia Blue Interest Group also has petitioned FDA to expand the safe use of gardenia (genipin) blue into 20 additional food categories, including carbonated drinks, alcoholic mixed drinks, powdered beverages, cereals, chewing gum, instant iced tea, wasabi, ice cream/frozen desserts, yogurt, snack foods, fruit preparations and toppings, and chewable tablets.
This is a significant expansion of the six categories for which FDA originally approved the use of genipin in July 2025, when it first granted the interest group’s petition to use the color in sports drinks, flavored or enhanced non-carbonated water, fruit drinks and ades, ready-to-drink teas, hard candy and soft candy.
At the time, then FDA Commissioner Marty Makary hailed the approval of gardenia blue in select products as a reflection of the agency’s “serious intent to transition away from petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the food system.”
The petition also proposes lowering the specification for arsenic in gardenia blue from less than or equal to 2 mg/kg (ppm) to less than or equal to 1 mg/kg (ppm).
Acetone use in carrot oil production
The third petition noted by FDA in the Aug. 19 Federal Register comes from the International Association of Color Manufacturers and seeks to permit acetone as a solvent in the production of carrot oil.
Currently, the color additive carrot oil is extracted from carrots with hexane, which is then removed via vacuum distillation. The regulations cap hexane at no more than 25 parts per million.
IACM also proposes to add heavy metal limits and secondary names for carrot oil.
