In a major step forward for healthier food choices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced their intention to prohibit the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food products. This important decision is a huge turning point in the use of artificial food colorings. Food titans Nestle, Kraft Heinz, General Mills and Conagra are just a few of the major food corporations listening to consumer demands. They’ve committed to eliminating synthetic dyes in favor of natural options. WK Kellogg has gone one step further by committing not to introduce any new products with FD&C colors as of January 2026.
This decision arrives just as pressure is mounting on the FDA to take a closer look at the safety and long-term health effects of artificial food dyes. FDA commissioner Marty Makary highlighted the issue at a press conference in April, stating, “For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals.” This sentiment highlights the demand for food manufacturers to find safer, natural coloring alternatives.
The move to eliminate artificial dyes has not come easily. Many natural food dyes don’t have the required shelf stability synthetic dyes provide. Renee Leber, a representative from one of the leading food companies, emphasized this issue: “Whereas synthetic dyes will outlive the shelf life of pretty much any product.” Companies are under pressure to reformulate their products in compliance with the new regulations while ensuring that they maintain quality and appeal.
As frustrating as these challenges around natural dyes can be, there’s cause for optimism. Among these exciting replacements is Galdieria blue, a microalgae-based pigment. Here’s the amazing news—the FDA approved this innovative colorant in May, and it can be used in food and beverages now. Microalgae grow in both freshwater and marine environments, and algae are known to have hundreds of thousands of species with untapped potential.
Fermentalg and other firms are continuously pushing the envelop for what microalgae can do to create sustainable, viable food colorants. Paul Manning explained how these natural colors are derived: “These crops are harvested, washed, processed into a juice, and the color is extracted with water or other solvents.” This process represents a greener, safer, more modern food coloring practice that is better suited to today’s health-conscious consumers.
The earliest products that use Galdieria blue, including textiles, cosmetics, and various food products, are expected to be on store shelves in early 2024. As companies scramble to keep up with the shifting paradigm, many are worried about getting left in the dust by their competition. Leber noted, “If you are a cereal company and you have a brightly coloured cereal and all of your competitors switch from synthetics to natural colours, then you don’t necessarily want to be the last one.”
WK Kellogg’s spokesperson confirmed their commitment to reformulation: “We are reformulating our cereals served in schools to not include FD&C colours by the 2026-27 school year.” This proactive response is just one great example of how businesses are going beyond compliance to align with evolving regulatory landscapes and consumer demand.
Hywel Griffiths, a pioneering scientist in the field of natural colors, offered tips for getting started with natural color sourcing. He remarked on the exciting nature of exploring new sources: “One of our lucky scientists got to go and climb the volcanoes in the Caribbean for example, and I have to restrain myself from collecting more every time I go home to New Zealand.” His excitement is emblematic of the increasing commitment to sustainability taking root in the industry.
Switching from synthetic to natural colors has a price. Griffiths acknowledged that while natural dyes may be more expensive, they often contribute less significantly to the overall cost of production: “They are more expensive, but in actual contribution to the end product, they’re not actually that big an impact because these things are used at a fraction of a percentage in the final product.”
The landscape for food coloring is evolving quickly as companies respond to regulatory pressure and consumer desire for transparency and avoidance of artificial ingredients. The FDA’s decision to revoke approval for Red Dye No. 3 for use in food and ingested drugs has accelerated this transformation. Food manufacturers are experiencing a moment where innovation meets greater responsibility.