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Many of the world's biggest food and beverage companies are voluntarily saying goodbye to a wide range of artificial colors in the face of new state regulations and federal warnings -- and they're touting the use of natural colors as transparent and better suited to consumer and regulator tastes.
Campbell's recently said its use of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) or artificial colors is "limited," but it's "transitioning our remaining products."
Starting in the latter half of 2026, Campbell's will no longer produce any food or beverages with these colors.
Meanwhile, Lance crackers and V8 Splash will start using colors derived from natural sources, such as annatto and purple carrot juice concentrate.
Snack brands such as Jay's, O-Ke-Doke, and Tom's, as well as cookie brands like Archway and Stella D'oro, will no longer use artificial colors.
"People are increasingly seeking better-for-you options with simpler, recognizable ingredients," Campbell's said in a written statement. "This move reflects both consumer preferences and our commitment to making great food."
Campbell's is in good company when it comes to brands ditching artificial colors. According to Food Dive, Hershey, J. M. Smucker, Conagra Brands, General Mills, and Kraft Heinz all plan to remove artificial dyes from their snacks by the end of 2027. Nestlé USA plans to remove artificial colors by mid-2026.
Cyndi Lauper may have had it right, at least when it comes to food and beverage, when she sang about "True Colors." For an industry where looks have long mattered, this is a major change.
Critics of these artificial dyes say they can have negative health impacts. They also make unhealthy snacks and candies look even more attractive, leading to poor health.
In Europe, products using these dyes are already required to include warning labels stating they "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children," according to Food Dive.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary has called artificial dyes "a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals." Various trade groups are deciding to go in a "different direction" when it comes to artificial colors.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) is promoting a voluntary pledge to eliminate the use of certified artificial colors in milk, cheese, and yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs by the start of the 2026-2027 school year or July 2026.
They hope to eliminate the use of Red No. 3, Red No. 40, Green No. 3, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6 in any milk, cheese, or yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for reimbursable school meals.
IDFA President Michael Dykes said this "demonstrates our industry's longstanding promise to provide healthy, nutritious dairy options to school kids everywhere."
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, "The dairy industry is voluntarily driving change and giving consumers what they want, without government mandates."
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fueled the fight against artificial colors, meeting with F&B giants. The FDA and HHS called on companies to eliminate a handful of synthetic, petroleum-based dyes by the end of next year.
These include Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, and Blue No. 2, and Red No. 3. They're also revoking authorizations of synthetic food colorings Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B.
Companies are getting artificial dyes out now and not waiting for bans to force them to kick the artificial color habit. The result is a tidal wave of companies moving away from artificial colors, even before any new regulations kick in forcing them to ditch these products.
While the feds are leading the charge, five states are getting in early -- Arizona, California, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia -- passing laws banning their use in foods sold to schools, as part of what the IDFA calls "a new attitude by states."
The Consumer Brands Association has said that while these dyes are safe, it believes it's better to have federal rules than varying state regulations. Different state rules, they say, can create chaos among consumer goods, forcing a patchwork of compliance.
Meanwhile, some groups think that getting artificial dyes out of the nation's diet is not necessarily the best way to go.
For instance, the International Association of Color Manufacturers told Food Dive after West Virginia's action that anti-artificial color sentiment will create "production hurdles, technical limitations, supply chain restraints, increased need for quality control, higher costs, and regulatory inconsistencies."
The local, state, and federal governments are also weighing in on artificial colors.
While the New York City government has a lot on its plate these days, from rent to regulation, there's one thing many New Yorkers won't have on their plates or in their drinks fairly soon regarding food provided by city hospitals and schools: artificial colors.
As part of this nationwide change, New York City recently released new standards for foods and beverages served by 11 city agencies that may be, well, a little less colorful.
They call for more fruits and vegetables and, along with other major changes, restrict artificial colors.
Starting July 1, 2026, the city will implement restrictions on artificial colors, which will affect the 219 million meals and snacks served annually.
"Every New Yorker deserves access to delicious, healthy food that they feel good about eating," New York City Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said.
New York City is also expanding restrictions on low- and no-calorie sweeteners in food and beverages served to all ages, with a ban on food served to children 18 and younger.
The city is also reiterating its ban on all processed meats, increasing the requirement to serve whole or minimally processed plant proteins, and strengthening snack nutritional requirements.
The feds, in addition to cracking down on artificial colors, are approving new natural color additives to let companies put color in their food through alternatives.
The FDA recently approved three new color additives, including two blues and a white, made from flowers, algae, and other sources.
While companies are taking action to avoid backlash and the feds are adding new options, there is a second side to this story.
Some companies are touting the lack of these additives in their products as healthy selling points. The lack of artificial colors, in other words, can appeal to consumers—not only regulators.
Campbell's, for instance, said red Goldfish get their color from beet juice concentrate and paprika from sweet red peppers.
For those who don't love Goldfish, that won't matter. But for Goldfish fans, that's just one more reason to love these tasty little fish swimming around in the much larger (but increasingly artificial color-free) F&B sea.