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Investing.com -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved gardenia (genipin) blue for use in various foods, marking the fourth natural color additive approved in the last two months.
The approval of the color, derived from gardenia fruit, aligns with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s initiative to phase out synthetic, petroleum-based dyes from the U.S. food supply as part of the "Make America Healthy Again" campaign.
"Every day, children are exposed to synthetic chemicals in food that serve no purpose and threaten their health," Secretary Kennedy said. "The FDA’s approval of gardenia blue shows we’re finally putting kids first."
The FDA has authorized the use of gardenia blue in sports drinks, flavored water, fruit drinks, ready-to-drink teas, and various candies at levels consistent with good manufacturing practices.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary noted that the expedited approval timeline demonstrates the agency’s commitment to transitioning away from petroleum-based synthetic dyes. "By expanding the palette of available colors derived from natural sources, food manufacturers have a variety of options available that will make it easier to end their use of petroleum-based dyes," Makary said.
Since Kennedy announced measures in April to phase out synthetic dyes, approximately 40% of the food industry has committed to a voluntary phase-out.
The FDA also sent a letter to manufacturers Monday encouraging them to accelerate the phase-out of FD&C Red No. 3 in foods before the January 15, 2027 deadline.
On Friday, Consumer Brands, a national trade association for consumer packaged goods manufacturers, announced a voluntary commitment to encourage the removal of certified Food, Drug & Cosmetic colors from products served in schools nationwide by the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
Other recently approved natural colorants include galdieria extract blue from red algae, calcium phosphate, and butterfly pea flower extract.
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