Three natural additives green lit by FDA

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Three natural additives green lit by FDA

9 May 2025

Annie Hollon

Annie Hollon is a journalist, copywriter and social media strategist from the Dallas, Texas area. She found a love for magazine writing during her time at the University of Alabama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in public relations and English. Beyond writing, you can find her expanding her library, attempting to teach herself the guitar and trying new hobbies.

SILVER SPRING, MD — Three weeks after the FDA outlined measures to remove synthetic dyes from the US food supply, the governing agency announced the approval of three natural color additives. This sign-off allows food and beverage manufacturers to use the coloring solutions in their operations.

“On April 22, I said the FDA would soon approve several new color additives and would accelerate our review of others,” said Marty Makary, commissioner of the FDA. “I’m pleased to report that promises made have been promises kept. 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 three approved additives are:

Galdieria extract blue: This blue color — petitioned by Fermentalg, a French producer of food ingredients derived from microalgae — can be used in various food and beverage applications. For the baking industry, this includes flavored frostings and whipped cream.
Butterfly pea flower extract: Sensient Colors, a St. Louis-based supplier of product solutions for colors, flavors and extracts, submitted the petition for expanded approval of butterfly pea flower extract. The extract can be used to create a range of colors, including blue, purple and green. With the green light from the FDA, the dye can now be used for crackers, snack mixes, hard pretzels, plain corn chips, tortilla chips, and multigrain chips.
Calcium phosphate: Innophos from Cranbury, NJ, produces various ingredients, chelated chemicals and specialty phosphates for numerous industries. The company petitioned for approval on calcium phosphate, a white color that can now be used in white candy melts and donut sugar.

This approval continues the FDA’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, headed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“For too long, our food system has relied on synthetic, petroleum-based dyes that offer no nutritional value and pose unnecessary health risks,” Kennedy Jr. said. “We’re removing these dyes and approving safe, natural alternatives to protect families and support healthier choices.”