The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a natural blue color additive derived from gardenia fruit in a range of food and drink products, the agency announced Monday.
The newly approved additive, called gardenia (genipin) blue, can be used in sports drinks, flavored water, fruit drinks, ready-to-drink teas and candy. The FDA granted the petition submitted by the Gardenia Blue Interest Group to use the additive at levels consistent with "good manufacturing practices."
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It’s the fourth natural-source color additive the FDA has approved in the past two months, part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce synthetic, petroleum-based dyes in the U.S. food supply.
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The FDA’s action aligns with a policy push by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who announced a sweeping initiative to “Make America Healthy Again.” That plan includes working with the food industry to voluntarily phase out synthetic dyes from foods.
“Every day, children are exposed to synthetic chemicals in food that serve no purpose and threaten their health,” Kennedy said. “The FDA’s approval of gardenia blue shows we’re finally putting kids first."
Since the announcement, about 40% of the food industry has committed to voluntarily removing petroleum-based dyes, officials said.
