FDA will allow three new color additives made from minerals, algae and flower petals

U S regulators reported Friday that they would allow three new color additives made from natural sources to be used in the nation s food supply It comes after wellness authorities pledged a sweeping phase-out of petroleum-based dyes widely used in foods from cereals to sports drinks to boost robustness though action is still pending The Food and Drug Administration explained it is granting petitions to allow galdieria extract blue a blue color derived from algae calcium phosphate a white color derived from a naturally occurring mineral and butterfly pea flower extract a blue color made from dried flower petals The colors will be approved for use in a range of foods from fruit drinks and yogurt to pretzels ready-to-eat chicken and candies The move will expand the palette of available colors from natural sources for manufacturers to safely use in food FDA authorities stated in a declaration Fitness advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods citing mixed studies indicating the dyes can cause neurobehavioral problems for specific children including hyperactivity and attention issues The FDA has maintained for decades that the approved dyes are safe and that the totality of scientific evidence shows that the bulk children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives The new color approvals include a petition from the French company Fermentalg to allow galdieria extract blue a petition from Innophos Inc of Cranbury New Jersey to allow calcium phosphate and a petition from Sensient Colors LLC of St Louis Missouri to allow butterfly pea flower extract The approvals are set to be published in the federal register on May and would take effect in June In April Wellness Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary informed that they would take attempts to eliminate synthetic food dyes in the U S food supply by the end of largely through voluntary efforts from the food industry The personnel also revealed they would revoke authorization for two little-used artificial dyes Citrus Red No and Orange B and accelerate the timeline to remove Red a food color banned in January because of a link to cancer in laboratory rats The FDA plans to initiate the process to revoke those colors within the coming months a spokesperson for the Department of Robustness and Human Services declared The Associated Press Fitness and Science Department receives endorsement from the Howard Hughes Diagnostic Institute s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP is solely responsible for all content Source