In a major step toward cleaner, more natural food products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially approved gardenia blue, a plant-based food coloring, for use in a variety of foods and beverages.
Made from the fruit of the gardenia plant — a flowering evergreen — this natural blue dye can now legally be added to items like sports drinks, teas, fruit-flavored waters, candies, and more.
This move is part of a broader push by the FDA to reduce the use of synthetic dyes in the U.S. food supply and offer safer, natural alternatives for consumers.
A Growing List of Natural Color Options
Gardenia blue isn’t the only new natural dye to get the green light. It’s the fourth plant-based coloring approved by the FDA in just the last two months. The other newly approved options include:
- Galdieria extract blue (from algae)
- Calcium phosphate (a natural white coloring)
- Butterfly pea flower extract (which provides beautiful shades of blue, purple, and green)
These natural colors offer food manufacturers healthier alternatives to petroleum-based synthetic dyes, which have come under increasing scrutiny for potential health risks.
A Clear Message from the FDA
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary made it clear that this approval is part of a larger mission.
“This expedited timeline underscored our serious intent to transition away from petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the food supply,” Makary said. “By expanding the palette of natural color options, food manufacturers now have more tools to remove synthetic dyes from their products.”
Spotlight on Red No. 3
One of the biggest targets of this natural dye movement is FD&C Red No. 3, a synthetic red color linked to potential health concerns. The FDA has set a deadline of January 15, 2027, for manufacturers to phase it out of foods — but they’re urging companies to act sooner.
And many are listening. Roughly 40% of the food industry has already pledged to stop using synthetic dyes voluntarily. Even better, some of the largest food industry groups have committed to removing these dyes from foods served in schools by the 2026–2027 school year.
In the official announcement, the FDA said:
“Accelerating the phaseout of the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in foods will help further the goal of Making America Healthy Again.”
A Healthier Future, One Color at a Time
The approval of gardenia blue and other natural dyes marks a promising shift toward safer, more transparent food ingredients. As more companies embrace these changes, consumers can look forward to a future where the foods they enjoy are not only colorful — but also cleaner and healthier.