Ditching red dye No.3: Food innovators move toward natural solutions in preparation for US ban

Experts in the color space are ramping up innovation to mitigate the forthcoming red dye No. 3 ban in the US by turning to natural solutions in their formulations. Eliminating the controversial food additive will bring challenges for companies who haven’t already prepared for the ban, but in the long-term, food innovators will need to face this milestone moment for food color regulation and embrace the benefits of natural alternatives that go way beyond FDA compliance.

Key plays in the color space speak to Food Ingredients First about the implications of the US ban, the expected rise in nature-based alternatives and how this could be the start of a snowball effect with predictions that more food additives could come under closer scrutiny by US regulators with the potential for more food safety revisions and possible government-mandated restrictions in the future. 

“This is a huge moment for food color regulation and a call to action for F&B manufacturers to rethink their ingredient lists. Red No. 3 is used primarily because of its intensely bright pink and cherry red hues. Switching to natural alternatives will create challenges in the short term, but ultimately, it gives brands the chance to update their recipes to align with modern consumer expectations,” Alice Lee, technical marketing manager at GNT USA, tells us. 

Color sector reacts to policy changes

The FDA has so far only announced a ban on red dye No. 3, but there is the prospect of further bans down the road. California — which had already announced a red 3 ban in October 2023 — will also prohibit the use of Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 in kindergarten to 12th-grade school food programs from 2028, notes Alice Lee. “This could inspire other states to take action and create a range of state-level restrictions.”

“It makes sense for brands to get ahead of the game now and switch to natural coloring solutions. If not, they risk getting caught up with further regulatory challenges down the line and losing ground to rivals who’ve already adopted more consumer-friendly colors.” 

Many of the red colors in the GNT’s Exberry line are concentrates that contain anthocyanin pigments. These include black carrot, sweet potato, blackcurrant, and radish. They provide vibrant red and pink shades but perform best in low-pH environments, so adjustments are needed in neutral-to-alkaline applications. 

“Our beetroot concentrates contain betanin pigments. They’re not pH-sensitive, but they are heat-sensitive, which requires higher dosages and stability measures during processing. A blend of different colors, such as reds and yellows, can help with color matching while also optimizing performance and cost. These colors have the advantage that they can be described in simple ways under US regulations, such as ‘carrot juice for color’ or ‘fruit and vegetable juice for color,’” Lee adds.

Shifting away from synthetics

However, Elaine Lee, applications manager at Lycored, tells us that bans are not the only driver toward nature-based colors. Consumers are voicing a clear preference for more wholesome, clean label F&B and are seeking products made without synthetic colors.

“This shift away from synthetic colors and toward naturally derived colors is expected to continue, as more F&B manufacturers react to policy changes and consumer preference and move toward nature-based ingredients.”

“While many have already adapted, those who have not risked limiting market reach, alienating consumers and pushing them toward alternative products that have embraced the natural trend — they are now facing a complete ban of their product nationwide unless they reformulate.” 

Vegan-friendly colors

Manufacturers can be reluctant to switch from synthetic to naturally derived options due to traditionally held views surrounding stability concerns throughout the manufacturing process and the product’s shelf life. 

“Other concerns, such as source, also play a major role in acceptance as consumers shy away from items containing colors like carmine, which is not vegan-friendly. These challenges require innovation to overcome, especially considering the wide range of applications for these colors,” Lee continues. 

Lycored produces stable, label-friendly and consumer-embraced color solutions, including alternatives to red dye No. 3, that offer “outstanding technical performance” in challenging applications such as UHT flavored milks that undergo high temperature and time parameters. 

“Lycored’s nature-based shades are proven to be stable in intense conditions and are derived from vegan sources. This innovation makes the ability to switch to reliable, nature-based hues easier than ever before.”

Lycored’s red to pink shades from lycopene are derived from the company’s own breed of non-GMO tomatoes. They offer a more vibrant alternative to sensitive nature-based colors such as beetroot, anthocyanins, and carmine (which is not vegan-friendly), as well as synthetic shades like red 3 that are no longer permitted or acceptable to consumers with wellness-focused goals and lifestyles.

“Lycored’s lycopene-based red colors can simply be declared as ‘lycopene from red tomatoes’ or ‘lycopene’ on ingredient labels, allowing companies to achieve clean label status, which is highly sought after as consumers’ focus on avoiding synthetic ingredients, specifically colors, rises,” says Elaine Lee.

Red color from natural ingredients 

Katie Rountree, regional product manager, Americas at Givaudan Sense Colour, points out that Pennsylvania is considering banning these certain yellow, blue and green colors statewide as well. 

“The red 3 ban started at the state level before the FDA banned it, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the other colors followed a similar path,” she tells Food Ingredients First.

“Over the next two years, any company that uses red 3 will have to either switch to natural alternatives or utilize other synthetic colors that are still permitted. This could mean an increase of companies switching their products to natural colors and realizing that the conversion brings benefits beyond compliance, like a friendlier label and greater acceptance by consumers. And with statewide bans being considered on other natural colors, this could expand past just alternatives to red 3.”

“There isn’t a ‘one-for-one’ solution that will work for everyone in the case of replacing synthetic colors, whether it’s red 3 or other synthetics since synthetics are often blended to create distinct flavor profiles and unique brand identities. But we do have select ‘go-to’ colors that we start with when we begin a synthetic replacement.”

“For red 3, which ranges from bright pink to the characteristic red of maraschino cherries, depending on the application and dosage rate, natural alternatives could include carmine, Vegebrite purple sweet potato, or our Endure beet, which is a great option for added heat stability over traditional beet. For more orangey reds typical of Red 40, solutions could include a range of anthocyanins like our Amaize Orange-red, Vegebrite black carrot or radish, and carmine.”