Overview

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new natural blue food colouring made from gardenia fruit, marking another step in replacing synthetic dyes. Alongside this approval, the FDA urged the food industry to speed up efforts to eliminate Red No. 3 from products. The agency announced on July 14 that manufacturers can now use gardenia blue in sports drinks, flavoured waters, fruit beverages, teas, and both hard and soft candies.

How Manufacturers Make It

Producers create gardenia blue by extracting genipin from crushed gardenia fruit and combining it with soy protein. The Gardenia Blue Interest Group, which proposed the colour, said the process does not leave soy in the final product. The group asked the FDA to allow companies to skip listing soy as an allergen, and the FDA is reviewing that request.

Why This Approval Matters

This approval supports the FDA’s efforts to remove synthetic dyes from foods because of rising health concerns. “Every day, children are exposed to synthetic chemicals in food that serve no purpose and threaten their health,” said the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “The FDA’s approval of gardenia blue shows we’re finally putting kids first.”

Other Natural Colours Approved Recently

In the last two months, the FDA approved three more natural colour additives: galdieria extract blue, calcium phosphate (white), and butterfly pea flower extract, which provides blue, purple, and green shades. Kennedy urged U.S. companies to eliminate petroleum-based food dyes by the end of next year. Major brands, including Nestlé, General Mills, and Kraft Heinz, have already announced plans to remove artificial colours from their products.

Source: U.S News