WASHINGTON — The US Food and Drug Administration, a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services, has approved the use of three naturally sourced colors as part of the agency’s goal to remove petroleum-based synthetic food dyes from foods and beverages by the end of 2026. The three colors are galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate.

“Today we take a major step to make America healthy again,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the HHS, in the May 9 announcement. “For too long, our food system has relied on synthetic, petroleum-based dyes that offer no nutritional value and pose unnecessary health risks. We’re removing these dyes and approving safe, natural alternatives — to protect families and support healthier choices.”

The FDA on April 22 said it was working with food and beverage companies to eliminate nine synthetic dyes from foods and beverages: Citrus Red No. 2, Orange B., Green No. 3, Red No. 3 and No. 40, Yellow No. 5 and No. 6, and Blue No. 1 and No. 2.

Two of the new approved colors create blue colors.

Butterfly pea flower extract may be used to achieve a range of shades, including bright blues, intense purple and natural colors. Water extraction of the dried flower petals of the butterfly pea plant produces the color, which already was approved for use in sports drinks, fruit drinks, fruit and vegetable juices, alcoholic beverages, dairy drinks, ready-to-drink teas, nutritional beverages, gums, candy, coated nuts, ice cream, and yogurt. The FDA approved a petition from Sensient Colors, LLC, St. Louis, on butterfly pea flower extract, which expands its use to the categories of ready-to-eat cereal, crackers, snack mixes, hard pretzels, plain potato chips (restructured or baked), plain corn chips, tortilla chips and multigrain chips.

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Galdieria extract blue is derived from the unicellular red algae (Galdieria sulphuraria). Since the FDA approved a petition from the French company Fermentalg, it now may be used in a variety of applications.

Calcium phosphate, a white color, now may be used in ready-to-eat chicken products, white candy melts, donut sugar and sugar for coated candies after the FDA approved a petition from Innophos Inc., Cranbury, NJ.

“On April 22, I said the FDA would soon approve several new color additives and would accelerate our review of others,” said Martin A. Makary, MD, commissioner of the FDA. “I’m pleased to report that promises made, have been promises kept. FDA staff have been moving quickly to expedite the publication of these decisions, underscoring our serious intent to transition away from petroleum-based dyes in the food supply and provide new colors from natural sources.”