The Food and Drug Administration has approved three natural food colors as part of its effort to phase out synthetic dyes from the domestic food supply.
Last week the agency announced it had granted three new color additive petitions for food use. This includes Galdieria extract blue for use in a variety of beverages like yogurt drinks and fruit juices, as well as candy and other dessert items. The petition was submitted by French company Fermentalg, and the color is derived from unicellular red algae.
FDA also approved a petition from St. Louis-based Sensient Colors LLC to expand the use of butterfly pea flower extract for several ready-to-eat snacks like potato chips and hard pretzels. The color was already approved for various beverages.
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Finally, the agency approved calcium phosphate for use in ready-to-eat chicken products, white candy melts, sugar for coated candies and doughnut sugar. The petition for the white coloring was filed by New Jersey-based Innophos Inc.
In April FDA announced its plan to phase out synthetic food dyes as part of broader "Make America Healthy Again" efforts. While much of the plan relies on the food industry's voluntary cooperation, the FDA also said it would accelerate approvals of natural dyes to replace synthetic ones.
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