FDA delays approval of 2 natural food dyes following safety objections

Food Dive reported the development on 2026-04-09. Critics said the agency skipped critical assessments when approving beetroot red and expanding uses for spirulina extract.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. The FDA has delayed approval for beetroot red as a natural food dye and the expansion of spirulina extract as it responds to criticism over their safety. Advocacy group GMO/Toxin Free USA says the version of beetroot red approved by the FDA is synthetically produced and hasn’t been ruled out as a possible carcinogen.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. The FDA said the delay in effective date "does not change" its determination that the dyes "are safe for their intended uses." The agency also emphasized it continues to not enforce rules around using the “no artificial colors” label as long as companies avoid petroleum-based dyes.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. "The push for 'sustainable' colors should not come at the expense of consumer transparency and safety," GMO/Toxin Free USA wrote in its objections to beetroot red.