May 19, 2025, 5:01 AM
Revolution in Food Coloring: FDA Endorses Three Natural Additives
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three new natural color additives for food: Galdieria extract blue (from algae), calcium phosphate (a mineral), and butterfly pea flower extract (from dried petals). These approvals, responding to petitions from 2021 to 2024, could impact future ingredient use in cosmetics and personal care due to overlapping regulatory classifications. The decision, effective in June after publication on May 12, aligns with the FDA's phase-out of synthetic petroleum-based dyes over safety concerns. Although synthetic dyes are still legal in cosmetics, this shift indicates evolving regulatory perspectives and may encourage wider industry adoption of natural colorants. Source: Food Manufacturing.