The federal government has announced plans to phase out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes, prompting food makers to grapple with cost, supply, and consumer acceptance challenges tied to natural alternatives.
Brian Bienkowski reports for The New Lede.
In short:
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services will work with food companies to eliminate eight synthetic dyes, citing research linking them to children’s health concerns, including behavioral issues like ADHD.
- Replacing synthetic dyes with natural ones made from plants like beets, turmeric, and hibiscus could raise costs by 5-20% and require major supply chain and manufacturing changes.
- Experts warn natural dyes may be less stable, potentially shortening product shelf life and complicating manufacturing processes.
Key quote:
“The initiative to reformulate without synthetic dyes will take years and a lot of money. Currently, the volume of natural alternatives simply cannot meet the demand.”
— Kantha Shelke, food researcher, senior lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, and founder and principal of Corvus Blue LLC
Why this matters:
Artificial food dyes have long been a staple in the colorful world of processed snacks and drinks. Yet scientific studies increasingly suggest links between synthetic dyes and health risks, especially for children, spurring regulatory and market shifts. Natural dyes, derived from vegetables, fruits, and flowers, promise safer consumption but introduce new environmental and economic complications. Growing enough natural dye sources requires agricultural expansion, potentially leading to increased pesticide use, land use changes, and heightened strain on water resources. Additionally, global trade dynamics could be disrupted as companies source exotic botanical dyes. The move could also deepen inequities between large and small food producers, with larger companies better equipped to absorb the cost of natural dye transitions.
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