Senior R&D Manager and Color Specialist at Pablo Elizondo, Capol
Important takeouts:
- The FDA has banned red dye 3 in food due to its potential carcinogenic properties, and affected more than 9,000 branded foods that take the drugs they take and need to be reformulated by January 2027.
- Natural alternatives to synthetic dyes are available, but specialized knowledge is required to implement them. For example, red beet and radish extracts can replace the red dye, while spirulina and butterfly pea flowers replace the blue dye.
- Food manufacturers should identify alternatives in late 2025 to maintain transparency with customers about changes in product appearance when switching to natural pigments, while still allowing time for testing and inventory updates.
For years, food manufacturers have responded to visually appealing elements and embraced bright and bold colors in their products. The industry has become very used to this practice. It is difficult to imagine the world without it, but we must do it soon.
Recently, the FDA announced the latest regulations, banning red dye 3 in food and drugs ingested, citing potential carcinogenicity. Not necessarily a surprise, but it leaves us with more than that 9,000 brand name hoods This includes Red Dye 3 with imminent changes, launching the industry towards yet another colour revolution.
Color dye landscape
The FDA’s recent dye ban is the latest chapter in the evolving push to clean materials in the food industry. Food manufacturers had to change their processes to maintain visually appealing products while complying with regulatory changes. This is due to the continued ban on many dye and aluminum lakes dating back decades. In 1965, the FDA banned the use of 1 orange, 1 green, and 32 red as consumables. And over the years, additional dyes such as red 1, 2, 4, and yellow 1, 2, 3, and 4 have all been eliminated.
Today, only seven synthetic dyes have been approved for use by the FDA, but even they face an increase in scrutiny.
Given the long and complex relationship between the industry and the consumer’s artificial colour, many manufacturers have been investigating the transition to natural alternatives since the early 2000s. However, important expertise is required to achieve the same vibrant tint without compromising taste or product stability. The right color specialist can help you navigate this process and ensure that food manufacturers remain FDA compliant while still certifying their products in the future for future generations.
From synthesis to nature: the future of food coloring
Migration from synthetic food dyes is a complex process that does not occur overnight. In reality, there is no perfect solution for all sizes that uses natural ingredients to allow brands to replicate signature shades in red or other colors perfectly and identically. However, advances in food coloring technology have made this shift to this goal more achievable.
For example, innovative products on the market offer viable alternatives to aluminum lakes. This is a type of food coloring made by combining water-soluble dyes with aluminum salts to create a stable dye. These types of solutions not only make natural exchanges more accessible, but also help brands tackle evolving regulatory requirements.
The strategic approach to replacing these dyes will vary depending on the intended application, hue, and current dosage. However, there are some clear trends.
For red tints, natural ingredients such as red beets and red radish (sometimes mixed with turmeric, red cabbage extract, or dashes of annatto) can create sustainable alternatives to synthetic red dyes. Beyond red, manufacturers are also exploring natural alternatives to the entire range of colours. Spirulina and anthocyanins extracted from butterfly pea flowers and red cabbage can be used to replace blue dyes 1 and 3. For yellow dyes, turmeric and riboflavin extracts have proven to be excellent alternatives, but annatto, paprika or carotenoid extracts can be used to achieve the orange look of yellow dye 6.
One thing becomes clear as additional natural dyes continue research and experimentation. It’s time for food manufacturers to discuss and explore natural alternatives.
What’s next: Important considerations for manufacturers
The Red Dye 3 ban is in motion and by discussing potential future restrictions on the horizon, manufacturers are once again finding themselves navigating a variety of new processes and considerations. One of the most important steps is to implement thorough inventory of current products and make necessary adjustments with the expiration date in mind to avoid regulatory fines.
By January 2027, all products containing Red Dye 3 must be out of store. To preempt this deadline, replacements will need to be identified in the second half of 2025. This requires that you have enough time to test, update packaging, and retailers update inventory and restock compliant products.
Beyond logistics, maintain transparency with customers – many of them are more interested and educated about the ingredients used in food – will become important during this period. Keep open dialogue about how your company manages the ban and more comprehensively shoot from industry synthesis to maintain a level of trust with customers.
The National Media spotlight on the ban on artificial dyes allows manufacturers who have been tired of changing to natural colors due to the public expectations of their products, to make this switch as part of the transparency of the change. Once natural exchanges are implemented, products can avoid confusion from onset by assuming new visual identities and setting clear expectations for those in the public.
With these key steps in mind, businesses are better raised to handle future regulations that may come down the pipeline. The exact trajectory of the no longer ban remains uncertain, but history shows that both consumers and regulators are increasingly scrutinizing artificial dyes. To protect your product portfolio, it is essential to provide information about future policy changes and start prescription testing now to prevent costly confusion in the future.
Pablo Elizondo He is Senior R&D Manager and Color Specialist at Capol. It is the leading global provider of products and expertise designed for perfect finishing, perfect processing and excellence in the food industry. Pablo’s expertise and knowledge in the food industry allows him to develop innovative products and lead healthy alternatives to artificial solutions such as Capol’s Viva Pigimento. ®.
