Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a plan to phase out petroleum-based pigments. Since then, the FDA has responded quickly and made every effort to promote the approval of new colorants, while accelerating the review of other related applications. Recently, the FDA officially issued an announcement announcing the approval of three new applications for natural food colorants, marking an important breakthrough in the field of food coloring. The three natural colorants approved this time - Galdieria blue extract, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate, were included in the list of exempted certification colorants (exempted certification colorants are FDA-approved colorants that are exempt from the FDA certification process). The FDA has formulated detailed specifications for their use in different foods, and the relevant regulations will officially take effect on June 26. 2025. This move not only provides more coloring options for the food industry, but also builds a strong line of defense for consumers' food safety and health.

Galdieria Extract Blue is derived from the single-cell red algae Galdieria sulphuraria. As an emerging natural colorant, its unique blue hue adds a different visual appeal to food. After the FDA included it in the list of exempted colorants, it clearly defined its scope of use and dosage.

The extract can be used in a variety of foods, including non-alcoholic beverages and beverage bases, fruit juices (including fruit juices and vegetable juices), fruit smoothies, milkshakes, flavored dairy products, yogurt drinks, dairy-based meal replacements and nutritional drinks, ice cream, frozen dairy desserts, frozen fruits, popsicles, water ice, liquid or frozen creamers (including non-dairy substitutes), hard candies, soft candies, chewing gum, flavored frostings, jelly desserts, puddings, custards, whipped cream/margarines, breakfast cereal coatings, and dairy-based or non-dairy whipped decorative ingredients. However, its dosage must comply with good manufacturing practices (GMP) and must not be used in foods with clear coloring standards, so as to maintain market order and protect consumer rights.

Butterfly Pea Flower Extract is made by extracting the dried petals of butterfly pea flowers with water, which can present rich colors such as bright blue, dark purple and natural green. After the FDA approved it as an exempted colorant, it made a detailed division of its scope of use.

In the beverage field, alcoholic beverages, sports/energy drinks, flavored water/carbonated water, juice/fruit-flavored drinks (including smoothies, cereal drinks), carbonated soft drinks (fruity/juice type, ginger ale, root beer), etc. can all use this extract. In terms of snacks and desserts, fruit and vegetable juices, nutritional drinks, tea drinks, dairy/non-dairy liquid coffee creamers; chewing gum, coated nuts, hard candies, soft candies, ready-to-eat cereals, biscuits, mixed snacks, hard and crisp pretzels, original potato chips (reconstituted or baked), original corn chips/tortilla chips/multi-grain chips; ice cream/frozen dairy desserts, dairy/non-dairy beverages, fruit products in yogurt, etc., can also use butterfly pea flower extract to achieve rich color expression. Of course, its dosage must also strictly follow GMP standards, and it must not be used in foods that have clear coloring standards.

As a traditional colorant, calcium phosphate has also successfully joined the ranks of exempted certification colorants this time. The FDA has made precise regulations on its usage in different foods.

In ready-to-eat chicken products, the amount of calcium phosphate added must not exceed 1.5% of the weight of the finished food to ensure that the chicken products are colored without destroying their original flavor and taste. In white candy melts, the upper limit of the amount added is 0.25% of the weight of the finished food to ensure that the candy color is natural and meets safety standards. For sugar for donuts, the amount added shall not exceed 2.0% of the weight of the finished food; the amount of sugar for coated candies shall not exceed 5.25% of the weight of the finished food.

With the announcement of the U.S. "Plan to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Colors", the FDA has responded that many food manufacturers have expressed their positive attitude and promised to complete the replacement of petroleum-based pigments with natural colorants before the deadline set by the end of 2026 by the FDA. At present, the FDA has not only newly approved the above three natural colorants, but is also reviewing the use of beetroot red, cactus yellow and spirulina extract natural colorants. For the majority of food companies, they should pay close attention to the dynamics of US colorant regulations and flexibly adjust the colorant use plan for food exported to the United States accordingly.