The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking additional steps to accelerate the food industry’s transition away from petroleum-based synthetic colours, offering new labelling flexibility and approving additional naturally derived colour additives.

In a move expected to have immediate labelling implications across packaged food and beverage categories, the FDA announced it will exercise enforcement discretion, allowing companies to voluntarily claim products contain “no artificial colours” when they are free of petroleum-based synthetic colours.

Previously, companies were generally limited to making such claims only if products contained no added colours whatsoever, regardless of whether the colour was naturally derived.

The agency notified industry of the change via a formal letter outlining its intent.

“We acknowledge that calling colours derived from natural sources ‘artificial’ might be confusing for consumers and a hindrance for companies to explore alternative food colouring options,” said FDA commissioner Marty Makary. “We’re taking away that hindrance and making it easier for companies to use these colours in the foods our families eat every day.”

The policy shift is expected to streamline reformulation and marketing efforts for brands that have already transitioned – or are in the process of transitioning – to plant-, algae- or mineral-derived colour systems.

Alongside the labelling update, the FDA announced the approval of beetroot red as a new colour additive and expanded approved uses for spirulina extract, a naturally derived blue colour.

The approvals stem from two petitions submitted to the agency and bring the total number of new food colour options approved under the current administration to six.

The actions build on earlier measures announced in April 2025 by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA to work with industry on phasing out petroleum-based synthetic colours from the US food supply.

The FDA is also publicly tracking voluntary company commitments through its “Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum-Based Food Dyes” initiative.

“We are working diligently to facilitate the industry’s phase out of petroleum-based colours and speed up authorisations for colours that are derived from alternative sources,” Kyle Diamantas, deputy commissioner for Human Foods, said. “The actions announced today give companies even more ways to transition to the use of alternative colours derived from natural sources.”

While encouraging the shift toward alternative colours, the FDA reiterated that manufacturers remain responsible for ensuring the safety and purity of all authorised colour additives.