Anna Hartz
The rules have changed, and the update is already affecting how companies label their products.
Many people try to read food labels more carefully these days. Some want to know how much sugar is in a drink. Others look for additives or dyes. One phrase that often catches the eye is “no artificial colors.” Until now, that claim was stricter than many shoppers realized.
A New Phrase
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a new approach to “no artificial colors”, reports Eatingwell The agency says companies can now use that phrase as long as their products do not contain petroleum-based dyes. In the past, the rule was tighter. If a product used any added color, even if it came from plants or minerals, companies usually could not make that claim. That older rule kept many foods from carrying a label that consumers often look for.
The change means that products with FDA-approved natural dyes can now use the updated claim. These dyes include galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate. The FDA approved these in May 2025. Gardenia blue was added in July 2025. On February 5, two more natural dyes joined the list. Beetroot red and spirulina extract both passed FDA review. With these additions, six natural dyes are currently approved for retail use.
Are Natural Dyes More Safe?
The news arrives while a proposed ban on several synthetic dyes, including Red No. 40, continues moving through the regulatory process. This shift signals that more natural alternatives may enter the market in the coming years.
EatingWell’s nutrition editor and registered dietitian Madeline Peck shared her view on the update. She says natural dyes are not automatically safer. Many companies must use higher amounts of natural dyes because they fade faster. This can create the impression that natural coloring is better when the science is not that simple.
Peck says most concerns about artificial dyes relate to the foods in which they appear rather than the dyes themselves. Many products that rely on synthetic colors are highly processed. These foods tend to contain more added sugar, salt and saturated fat. Reducing those ingredients can improve overall health more than avoiding dyes alone.
There is no strong evidence that synthetic dyes harm most people. Limiting ultra-processed foods, however, remains important for long-term health. For now, the choice to avoid synthetic dyes comes down to personal preference. The FDA is expected to approve more natural dyes as the proposed restrictions on petroleum-based dyes continue to advance.
