The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a sweeping initiative to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the US food supply, as part of the administration’s Make America Healthy Again campaign.

Key measures include setting a national standard and timeline for transitioning to natural food colorings, revoking the use of Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B in the coming months, and working with manufacturers to eliminate six widely used synthetic dyes -- FD&C Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow Nos. 5 and 6, and Blue Nos. 1 and 2 -- by the end of next year.

"For those ingredients that we cannot ban legally, we are going to start informing Americans about what they are eating," said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. "We going to try to work with Congress and The White House to make sure that we have adequate labeling."

The FDA also plans to authorize four new natural color additives in the coming weeks and expedite review of others, such as Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue, and butterfly pea flower extract. Additionally, the agency is encouraging earlier removal of FD&C Red No. 3, ahead of the previously scheduled 2027–2028 deadline.

For companies that are currently using petroleum-based red dye, try watermelon juice, or beet juice," said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH. "For companies currently combining petrolem-based yellow chemical and red dyes together, try carrot juice."

In collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the FDA will expand research into the effects of food additives on children’s health and development. The partnership, through the NIH Nutrition Regulatory Science and Research Program, aims to bolster the science behind future food policy decisions.

FDA officials say the shift reflects a broader commitment to evidence-based regulation, improved public health, and increased industry support for natural ingredient innovation.