The US Food and Drug Administration has authorised three naturally sourced colour additives as part of its wider plan to phase out petroleum-based dyes in food and beverage products by the end of 2026. The newly approved options are galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate.
The approvals expand formulation choices for manufacturers preparing for regulatory changes and shifting consumer expectations around clean-label ingredients. Two of the colours provide blue hues, which remain difficult to achieve from natural sources at commercial scale.
Butterfly pea flower extract, produced through water extraction of dried petals, can deliver a spectrum of shades from blue to purple. Its previous permitted uses covered a broad range of drinks, confectionery, dairy items and snacks. The FDA has now extended its use to cereals, crackers, snack mixes, pretzels and several chip categories, widening opportunities for colour reformulation across ambient grocery lines.
Galdieria extract blue, derived from a red algae species, has also been cleared for use across multiple food applications, offering manufacturers another natural option for blue colouring.
Calcium phosphate, a white colour additive, has been approved for ready-to-eat chicken products, confectionery coatings and sugars used in bakery and snack production.
The FDA has stated that further approvals are underway as part of its transition plan to remove nine synthetic dyes from the US food system.