Natural food colours are gaining attention as food manufacturers reassess the ingredients they use to create appealing products. In February 2026, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued final orders approving beetroot red as a food colour and expanding the approved uses of spirulina extract, creating new opportunities for manufacturers exploring alternatives to synthetic colours.
However, the regulatory process took another turn in March when the FDA delayed the effective dates of both orders while it evaluated objections. For food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and procurement teams, this development highlights an important distinction: a regulatory approval announcement does not always mean that a newly permitted use can begin immediately.
Understanding the properties of these natural colour ingredients, their formulation requirements and their regulatory status can help businesses make informed purchasing decisions. It can also help international suppliers identify opportunities while avoiding costly compliance mistakes.
Why Natural Food Colours Matter to Food Manufacturers
Food colour influences how consumers perceive freshness, flavour and product quality. Manufacturers use colour additives to achieve consistent appearances across production batches, compensate for variations in raw materials and maintain the visual identity of established products.
Natural food colours come from sources such as plants, algae and other naturally occurring materials. Beetroot-derived pigments and spirulina extract offer different colour profiles, making them potential options for manufacturers seeking alternatives to petroleum-based synthetic colours.
Several factors are encouraging interest in these ingredients:
Product reformulation: Food companies may want to replace synthetic colours with alternatives that better match their ingredient policies or product positioning.
Consumer preferences: Demand for products marketed around recognisable or naturally derived ingredients can influence formulation decisions.
Brand differentiation: Distinctive colours can help products stand out on shelves while supporting a manufacturer's wider ingredient strategy.
Regulatory developments: Changes in permitted uses can create new formulation possibilities, provided manufacturers follow the applicable conditions.
For procurement teams, this shift creates a need to assess more than price and availability. Ingredient identity, colour performance, quality specifications and regulatory eligibility all influence whether a natural colour can work commercially.
Beetroot Red and Spirulina Extract: Different Colour Profiles
Although both ingredients fall within the natural food colour category, beetroot red and spirulina extract serve different formulation purposes. Manufacturers should evaluate them according to the colour required, the food matrix and the conditions the product will encounter during processing and storage.
Beetroot red for red and pink shades
Beetroot red comes from beetroot and contains betalain pigments, including betanin, which contributes to its characteristic red-violet appearance. Depending on the formulation and concentration, beetroot-derived colour can support red, pink and reddish-purple shades.
Potential applications include beverages, confectionery, dairy-style products, sauces and other foods where a red or pink appearance suits the product. Actual performance depends on the ingredient specification, processing conditions and the properties of the finished food.
Heat, light, oxygen and changes in acidity can affect betalain stability. Manufacturers therefore need to evaluate how the colour behaves during processing, packaging and shelf life rather than relying only on the appearance of a freshly prepared sample.
Spirulina extract for blue and blue-green shades
Spirulina extract, derived from the cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis, contains phycocyanin pigments that provide its characteristic blue colour. Formulators may use it in products where blue or blue-green shades are desirable, depending on the ingredient grade and the application.
Possible product categories include confectionery, frozen desserts, beverage preparations and decorative food applications. Its suitability depends on the specific formulation and the permitted conditions of use.
Spirulina-derived pigments can also present stability challenges, particularly when manufacturers expose them to high temperatures, unfavourable pH conditions or prolonged storage. Testing is essential to determine whether the ingredient can maintain the intended shade throughout the product's expected shelf life.
Neither ingredient offers a universal replacement for every synthetic colour. Their usefulness depends on the target shade, processing method, cost requirements and technical demands of the final product.
What the FDA's 2026 Orders Changed
On February 6, 2026, the FDA issued final orders covering both beetroot red and spirulina extract. The beetroot red order addressed its use for colouring human foods generally, subject to specified exclusions and applicable conditions, while the spirulina order expanded its approved uses.
The spirulina order also addressed contaminant specifications. It lowered the specifications for lead, arsenic and mercury and added a specification for cadmium, reinforcing the importance of controlling heavy metals in food colour ingredients.
On March 20, the FDA delayed the effective dates of both orders following the submission of objections. The agency stated that it would announce a new effective date or other administrative action in a subsequent document.
These developments matter because the publication of a final order and its effective date are separate regulatory milestones. Manufacturers cannot assume that a new use has become available for commercial production simply because the agency has announced its decision.
The FDA's stated position also requires careful interpretation. The delays do not, by themselves, represent a reversal of its safety determinations for the intended uses described in the orders. Instead, they reflect the regulatory process for handling qualifying objections and, in the spirulina case, a request for a hearing.
For businesses planning product launches, this distinction makes ongoing regulatory monitoring essential.
Formulation Challenges That Buyers Should Consider
Natural colour ingredients can behave differently from synthetic alternatives, so food manufacturers need to test their performance before committing to commercial volumes. A colour that works well in one product may perform poorly in another because of differences in acidity, temperature, moisture or ingredient interactions.
Procurement teams should coordinate with research and development, quality assurance and regulatory specialists to assess the following factors.
Heat exposure: Products that undergo baking, pasteurisation or other thermal treatments may require colour systems with suitable heat stability.
Acidity and pH: The acidity of a beverage, confectionery product or sauce can influence pigment stability and the final shade.
Light and oxygen: Packaging and storage conditions can affect colour retention, making shelf-life testing important.
Ingredient compatibility: Preservatives, minerals, sweeteners and other formulation components may influence colour performance.
Sensory characteristics: The colour ingredient should not introduce unwanted flavours, odours or other sensory changes at the intended application level.
Manufacturers should also consider whether the colour meets the product's visual requirements throughout its shelf life. Accelerated stability testing can help identify potential problems early, although results should support an appropriate real-time shelf-life assessment.
A successful formulation balances appearance, stability, ingredient cost and regulatory compliance rather than optimising colour intensity alone.
Sourcing and Quality Requirements for Natural Colour Ingredients
Natural food colour procurement requires a more detailed supplier assessment than simply comparing quotations. Variations in raw materials, extraction methods and manufacturing controls can influence pigment concentration, colour strength and batch consistency.
Before approving a supplier, buyers should request documentation that matches the ingredient and intended application.
Technical data sheet: Review the ingredient's identity, appearance, specifications, recommended storage conditions and relevant application guidance.
Certificate of analysis: Check the supplied batch against agreed specifications, including identity, purity and relevant contaminant limits.
Food-grade documentation: Confirm that the material meets the applicable food-grade requirements in the destination market.
Traceability records: Establish the ingredient's origin, manufacturing site, batch identification and supply-chain documentation.
Shelf-life information: Verify the remaining shelf life at delivery and the storage conditions required to preserve quality.
For spirulina extract, heavy-metal specifications deserve particular attention in light of the FDA's February 2026 order. Buyers should review the applicable regulatory requirements and confirm that supplier testing addresses relevant contaminants, including lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium where required.
For beetroot red, procurement teams should pay close attention to pigment consistency and stability data. Suppliers should provide sufficient information for manufacturers to determine whether the ingredient will meet the intended colour specification under actual production conditions.
Regulatory Compliance Across International Markets
Food colour regulations differ between jurisdictions. An ingredient that is permitted for a particular use in one country may face different restrictions, labelling requirements or conditions in another.
The US FDA regulates food colour additives under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Manufacturers must establish that their ingredients comply with the applicable authorisation and conditions of use before introducing them into foods sold in the United States.
International traders should therefore avoid treating FDA decisions as universal approvals. Exporters supplying buyers in the United States, European Union, United Kingdom or other markets need to assess the relevant local rules independently.
For the beetroot red and spirulina extract orders, buyers should:
Check the FDA's current regulatory listings and subsequent notices concerning the effective dates.
Confirm whether the intended food category falls within the permitted scope of the applicable order.
Review ingredient specifications and any restrictions that apply to the intended use.
Verify labelling, documentation and import requirements for the destination market.
Retain records demonstrating that the selected ingredient meets the applicable requirements.
The status of the February orders should be checked immediately before commercial use. Regulatory changes can affect product development schedules, supplier commitments and launch dates, particularly when manufacturers plan to introduce a new ingredient across multiple markets.
What the Regulatory Developments Mean for Procurement Teams
The FDA's 2026 actions provide a useful example of how regulatory developments can create opportunities while introducing uncertainty into purchasing decisions.
Manufacturers may want to evaluate beetroot red and spirulina extract for future formulations, but procurement teams should avoid placing large orders solely in anticipation of a regulatory change. A staged sourcing strategy can help businesses assess technical suitability while limiting the risk of buying material they cannot yet use for the intended application.
A practical approach includes:
Shortlisting suppliers: Identify manufacturers that can provide consistent specifications, technical support and traceability.
Requesting samples: Conduct formulation trials using the actual ingredient grade under consideration.
Comparing total costs: Account for dosage requirements, colour strength, storage, potential formulation adjustments and wastage rather than comparing price per kilogram alone.
Agreeing quality specifications: Establish acceptable colour performance, contaminant limits, packaging requirements and batch documentation before placing a purchase order.
Maintaining alternatives: Where commercially feasible, evaluate other legally permitted ingredients or formulations that can meet the same product requirements.
Buyers should also discuss lead times and regulatory contingencies with suppliers. Clear contractual terms can help both parties manage changes in expected launch dates or approved applications.
What Food Colour Buyers Should Do Next
Beetroot red and spirulina extract represent two distinct options for manufacturers exploring naturally derived food colours. Their commercial potential depends on colour performance, formulation compatibility, consistent quality and the regulatory conditions governing each intended use.
The February 2026 FDA orders marked an important development, while the March delays demonstrated why procurement decisions must reflect the latest regulatory position rather than rely on the announcement date alone.
For importers, exporters and ingredient distributors, the opportunity lies in building reliable supply relationships, obtaining complete technical documentation and monitoring regulatory updates throughout the purchasing process. Manufacturers that combine careful formulation testing with disciplined supplier qualification will be better positioned to assess new natural colour options when the relevant uses become effective.
Sodium Ascorbate (E301) CAS: 0134-03-02
SOURCE LINK: https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additives?
