The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a letter to food manufacturers clarifying how companies can use “no artificial colours” claims on product labels in the United States.
The update, dated 5 February 2026, outlines the agency’s intention to exercise enforcement discretion for specific voluntary labelling claims when products do not contain certain synthetic colour additives.
The move changes how food businesses can state that a product has no artificial colours on packaging, and is designed to support a broader regulatory shift away from petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the food supply.
Scope of enforcement discretion and new labelling flexibility
The FDA’s letter indicates that it will not take enforcement action under Section 403(a)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act — which governs misbranding — against firms using certain voluntary claims, provided the products do not contain any colour additives certified under 21 CFR Part 74.
The specific statements covered include:
- Made without artificial food colours/colorings
- No artificial colour/colours/coloring
- No added artificial colour/colours/coloring
Previously, manufacturers could only use no artificial colours claims when a product had no added colour at all. The updated position means firms can use the phrase even when the product contains naturally added colourants, so long as they are not certified synthetic colours.
Industry transition towards natural colour alternatives
The FDA’s action accompanies broader regulatory efforts to support the replacement of petroleum-based synthetic dyes with naturally derived alternatives.
In the same announcement, the agency revealed approvals for the use of beetroot red as a food colour and the expanded use of spirulina extract, both of which are naturally sourced options.
These additions bring the total number of newly approved natural colours under the current policy push to six.
Regulators have acknowledged that the legal definition of artificial colour historically did not distinguish between natural and synthetic sources, creating uncertainty for manufacturers and potentially slowing reformulation efforts.
By clarifying enforcement expectations, the FDA says it aims to remove barriers to labelling reformulated products while emphasising that manufacturers remain responsible for ensuring the safety and purity of all colour additives they use.
Implications for food packaging and global compliance
For food packaging and labelling professionals, the FDA’s updated guidance highlights the importance of aligning claim language with product composition and regulatory definitions.
Claims must still be truthful and not misleading, and products containing certified synthetic colours remain outside the scope of the agency’s enforcement discretion.
International manufacturers selling into the U.S. market will need to align formulations and packaging claims with these updated rules, even as other jurisdictions maintain their own approaches to colour additives and labelling standards.
The FDA continues to publicly track industry progress on reducing petroleum-based synthetic dyes as part of its food colour transition efforts, with these labelling clarifications intended to support that broader, ongoing regulatory focus.
