FDA Embraces Beetroot Red & Spirulina for Natural Food Color

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of beetroot red and expanded the availability of spirulina extract. This action is a significant step in the "Make America Healthy Again" movement's goal to transition food coloring away from artificial, petroleum-based dyes towards natural alternatives.

The FDA's latest approvals bring the total number of approved natural colors to six. Beetroot red, derived from beets, offers a reddish-purple hue, while spirulina extract, sourced from algae, provides a blue-green color. These natural dyes can now be more broadly used in human foods, with exceptions for infant formula and USDA-inspected items.

A key aspect of this regulatory update is the allowance for products featuring these natural dyes to be labeled "no artificial colors." This change empowers consumers to readily distinguish between naturally and synthetically colored foods, supporting a shift towards transparency in food labeling.

This initiative aligns with broader efforts to enhance public health by encouraging the consumption of real food and reducing exposure to synthetic dyes. The FDA aims to eliminate synthetic dyes from the U.S. food system by January 2027, a deadline mirrored by California's state legislation banning certain artificial dyes from school foods by late 2027.