The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Gardenia (genipin) blue, a natural color derived from the gardenia fruit, as a food coloring.

This approval allows its use in a variety of products such as sports drinks, flavored water, fruit drinks, teas, and candy.

The approval is part of a broader movement by the FDA to encourage the use of natural colorants in the food industry.

This decision is aligned with the goals of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has made it a priority to phase out synthetic, petroleum-based color additives from the food supply.

Following his April announcement, about 40% of the food industry has committed to voluntarily eliminating petroleum-based dyes.

The FDA’s approval of Gardenia blue adds to the list of natural colors the agency has recently authorized, including butterfly pea flower extract and galdieria extract blue.

These natural alternatives aim to replace synthetic dyes that have been linked to potential health risks.

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Photo by: fda.gov