“Long-standing practice has been to require labeling when anything was added to a food to enhance or change its color, no matter the origin of that coloring material,” says Brendan Niemira, PhD, the chief science and technology officer at the nonprofit Institute of Food Technologists. “The FDA will now change how they enforce that requirement.”
The change means the FDA will “no longer challenge product labels” that state “no artificial colors,” as long as the product doesn’t contain certain additives, Dr. Niemira explains.
What Does the Change Mean for Labeling Foods With Artificial Colors?
Until now, food labels could only claim “no artificial colors” if the item’s color came solely from the food itself, says Niemira.
Under the recent enforcement changes, the FDA will not take action against companies using terms like “made without artificial colors” or “no artificial colors,” so long as synthetic dyes in the FD&C list aren’t used, says Joe Zagorski, PhD, a toxicologist and an assistant professor at the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety at Michigan State University in East Lansing.
The FDA didn’t specify when its enforcement practice change will take effect.
Are Naturally Derived Food Dyes Safer?
“Everything can be safe or toxic in the right amount; this is true for human-made or natural chemicals,” says Dr. Zagorski.
Naturally derived food dyes can come from a variety of sources, including vegetables, algae, fruits, or insects, Niemira says, but that doesn’t mean they’re risk-free.
“Some dyes have a higher rate of allergic responses in people,” Zagorski says. “Some have naturally higher levels of contaminants, such as heavy metals. It is not the source of the chemical that determines safety. It is a combination of chemistry and biology.”
Synthetic and natural food dyes “must be manufactured, transported, and used with the utmost attention to product safety,” Niemira says.
“As new food dyes are identified and offered as replacements for currently used food dyes and colorants, they must undergo the same rigorous safety evaluations,” Niemira says.
Are Natural Food Dyes Safer?
Research into the use and safety of naturally derived food dyes remains ongoing, Zagorski says. Of the evidence that currently exists, Niemira says “long-term studies are generally lacking on the health effects of naturally derived versus synthetic food dyes.”
But Zagorski points out that switching to naturally derived dyes won’t make ultra-processed foods any healthier.
“A product that was low in nutritional density before alterations to the source of the food dye will continue to be low in nutritional density unless larger changes are made to the product,” Zagorski says.
What Consumers Need to Know
You’ll have to read product labels more closely, Niemira says. Phrases like “made without artificial food colors” will have a new meaning.
“This change will mean that consumers who wish to be fully informed about how their food gets its color will have to pay extra attention to the fine print on the label where ingredients are listed,” Niemira says.