The Shift Away From Synthetics: Navigating Formulations With Natural Colorants

In February 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a shift in its regulatory stance toward food labeling claims related to artificial colors as a step in the broader effort to transition away from petroleum-based synthetic food dyes.¹

For more insights into the transition in the industry toward natural colorants in food and nutraceuticals, Nutritional Outlook interviewed Dana Osborn, Marketing Manager at California Natural Color. Osborn emphasizes the importance of early R&D collaboration in overcoming the new technical hurdles presented, enabling better storage flexibility and ensuring color stability while also maintaining regulatory compliance.

In November 2025, the company had highlighted its color solutions from plant-based and natural sources ahead of the Red No. 3 dye prohibition.²

Nutritional Outlook: With the FDA’s recent revision allowing “no artificial colors” claims even when natural colorants are present, how do you anticipate this will shift formulation strategies for food, beverage, and nutraceutical manufacturers? Are you seeing a surge in brands looking to swap dyes now that they can claim 'No Artificial Colors'?"

Dana Osborn: We have already seen a meaningful increase in brands transitioning from synthetic to natural colors, driven largely by broader regulatory initiatives throughout 2025. The latest update from the FDA welcomes additional transparency, flexibility, and better alignment between ingredients and on-pack claims. This translates to greater confidence that investments in natural color formulation can support front-of-pack “no artificial colors” positioning. As a result, we do expect continued acceleration, particularly in applications where clean label expectations are rising quickly.

Nutritional Outlook: What technical or stability challenges do formulators face when replacing synthetic dyes in certain foods and beverages?

Osborn: While the industry has advanced, formulators still need to account for several key factors when replacing synthetic dyes, such as sensitivity to heat, light, and oxygen, ingredient interactions, and processing steps, including cook time and temperature. Success starts with selecting the right raw material and format for the specific matrix and processing conditions. We see strong results working collaboratively with R&D teams early in the formulation process, evaluating the pigment source and the application environment.

Nutritional Outlook: What technical or stability challenges do formulators face when replacing synthetic dyes in nutraceutical formats (such as softgels or functional gummies), and how do your naturally derived liquid and crystal colors address those challenges?

Osborn: Nutraceutical formats are inherently intricate systems and can introduce additional challenges. Developers must manage active ingredient interactions or extended shelf-life expectations, all of which impact color stability and consistency. In these applications, success is dependent upon selecting the right solution and optimizing the use rate for the specific matrix. Our team of technical experts is central to helping customers maintain color performance through processing and throughout shelf life.

From an operational standpoint, our crystal delivery system offers valuable advantages prior to use. For manufacturers that lack refrigerated warehousing capabilities or the ability to manage liquid colors with shorter shelf lives, the dry, shelf-stable nature of our crystal format provides greater flexibility in storage, handling, and inventory management before processing begins.

Nutritional Outlook: Natural colorants can sometimes perform differently than synthetics in terms of color strength or stability. How are you helping nutraceutical manufacturers balance performance with consumer expectations for vibrant, clean-label products?

Osborn: We are helping developers optimize natural color performance for each application and work closely with R&D teams to match the right pigment to the product environment and evaluate processing and shelf-life conditions early in development. With today’s expanded solutions and improved processing technologies, most applications can achieve a strong visual result while still meeting clean-label expectations.

Nutritional Outlook: As demand increases for natural color solutions across the industry, what supply chain strategies or innovations is your company implementing to ensure reliable supply?

Osborn: We understand there may be concerns around supply reliability for manufacturers transitioning away from synthetic dyes. At California Natural Color, we support continuity in serval ways. We have vertically integrated grape supply providing traceability and quality control and long-term partnerships with key raw material suppliers to strengthen supply security. Additionally, our unique crystal delivery system has an extended shelf life, which helps our customers reduce inventory risk and improve supply flexibility. These strategies allow us to support customers with technical performance and dependable, long-term supply.

Nutritional Outlook: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Osborn: We view the recent regulatory clarity as a meaningful turning point for the natural color market. The combination of improved label flexibility and expanding pigment capabilities is making it increasingly practical for brands to fully transition away from synthetic dyes. Companies that move early with a strategic, application-specific approach will be best positioned to meet evolving expectations around clean label and ingredient transparency.

References

1. McEvoy, E. FDA revises “no artificial colors” labeling policy to support shift away from synthetic dyes. Published February 5, 2026. Accessed March 6, 2026. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/fda-revises-no-artificial-colors-labeling-policy-to-support-shift-away-from-synthetic-dyes
2. McEvoy, E. California Natural Color highlights natural color alternatives to Red No. 3. Published November 26, 2025. Accessed March 6, 2026. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/california-natural-color-highlights-natural-color-alternatives-to-red-no-3