What did the FDA change about 'no artificial colors'?

How the guidance on color labeling shifted

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised its guidance on color additives and how manufacturers can label their products. Under the updated approach, the phrase consumers have historically read as a straightforward claim may now appear on foods that include certain added color ingredients described as "naturally derived." The agency’s change expands the conditions under which products can carry "no artificial colors" or similar language.

What the change means in practice

• Manufacturers may use color additives that the FDA now treats differently under the label rules, while still using the shorthand phrase on packaging.
• The agency’s move reframes how "artificial" versus "naturally derived" colors are defined and disclosed, affecting ingredient statements and front-of-pack claims.

What remains unclear

The reporting does not list the specific color additives newly covered by the guidance, nor does it provide the effective date or enforcement details. It’s also not specified how the agency will require companies to disclose the presence of any permitted color additives beyond existing ingredient lists.

Why shoppers should pay attention

This shift can change what a quick label read tells you. Consumers who use simple front-of-pack language as a proxy for ingredient processing or additives may see products with the familiar phrase while those products still contain added colorants characterized as "naturally derived." For people who avoid certain dyes for allergy, dietary, or preference reasons, the ingredient statement and any parenthetical descriptors will be the clearest sources of information until more detailed labeling rules or examples are published.

Look for further FDA releases or guidance documents and updated product labels from manufacturers to understand the practical effects of the rule change.