FDA broadens the scope of ‘contains no artificial dyes’

CHICAGO, February 5, 2026 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is easing its labeling policies to allow foods made with natural color additives to be tagged as products containing no artificial dyes.

The agency said the change is necessary to counter public misperceptions that any coloring agent is artificial if it's added to the product rather than occurring naturally. With a number of plant-derived dyes now approved for use in foods, consumers might miss that they now have three choices when it comes to additives. 

First, an edible product might be colored with dyes synthesized from petroleum, or patently artificial colorings. It can also be dyed with additives derived from plants, which the FDA regards as a more healthful option. Other products contain no added colors whatsoever.

Without a differentiation between natural and artificial additives, consumers might view the two categories as being virtually the same, according to the FDA. It aired concerns that consumers might not opt for natural coloring, which the agency sees as the more-healthful choice.

To avert that situation, the regulator said it will no longer penalize  sellers of naturally colored foods if they make these marketing promises about a product:

• Made without artificial food colors/colorings
• No artificial color/colors/coloring
• No added artificial color/colors/coloring.

The FDA said the expansion of what can be labeled as artificial-coloring-free is consistent with the Make American Healthy Again initiative, the signature health policy of the Trump Administration.

Among its key goals is lessening Americans’ consumption of artificial dyes and chemical additives. 

The change in FDA policy was spelled out in a letter sent by Commissioner Martin Makary to food manufacturers on Thursday.