The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has approved a petition to use gardenia (genipin) blue as a food dye.
The color is derived from gardenia fruit and is expected to be used in “sports drinks, flavored or enhanced non-carbonated water, fruit drinks and ades, ready-to-drink teas, hard candy, and soft candy,” the FDA explained.
“Every day, children are exposed to synthetic chemicals in food that serve no purpose and threaten their health,” Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services said. “The FDA’s approval of gardenia blue shows we’re finally putting kids first. Thanks to Dr. Marty Makary’s bold leadership, we’re cutting through industry influence and taking decisive action to Make America Healthy Again.”
“This expedited timeline underscored our serious intent to transition away from petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the food supply,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. He added that “expanding the palette of available colors derived from natural sources” will allow food manufacturers to “have a variety of options available that will make it easier to end their use of petroleum-based dyes.”
The FDA further declared that it sent a letter to manufacturers urging them to accelerate the phase-out of Red 3, writing that “accelerating the phase out of the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in foods will help further the goal of Making America Healthy Again.”
Earlier this year, the FDA approved galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and calcium phosphate as natural food dyes, supporting the MAHA initiative.
