The FDA is shaking up the food coloring aisle, and it could mean a lot more vibrant snacks and meals made with ingredients you recognize. As of today, February 5, 2026, companies can now label products as “no artificial colors” even if they *do* contain colorings—as long as those colorings aren’t derived from petroleum. For years, that “no artificial colors” claim meant a product was completely devoid of any added color, a restriction that stifled innovation and limited consumer choices.

Easing the Path to Natural Alternatives

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The agency signaled its intent with a letter to industry outlining the new enforcement discretion regarding these labeling claims. This move is designed to encourage food manufacturers to ditch synthetic, petroleum-based dyes in favor of naturally sourced alternatives.

“This is real progress,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “We are making it easier for companies to move away from petroleum-based synthetic colors and adopt safer, naturally derived alternatives. This momentum advances our broader effort to help Americans eat real food and Make America Healthy Again.”

New Colors Get the Green Light

Alongside the labeling change, the FDA has also approved two new color options: beetroot red and expanded use of spirulina extract. The approvals, stemming from industry petitions, further broaden the palette of natural colors available to food producers. This brings the total number of new food color options approved under the current administration to six.

What does this mean for consumers? You’ll likely see more foods labeled “no artificial colors” that still boast appealing hues, thanks to ingredients like beets, spirulina, and other natural sources.

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

A Broader Initiative for Healthier Food

This latest action builds on previous efforts by the HHS and FDA, first announced in April 2025, to phase out petroleum-based synthetic colors from the nation’s food supply—a key component of the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. The FDA is publicly tracking industry pledges to remove these dyes at Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes.

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

The FDA is also reminding manufacturers of their ongoing responsibility to ensure the safety and purity of all color additives, issuing a letter outlining relevant resources.

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The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.