Multiple Trump administration officials issued responses after The Guardian published a report claiming the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was backing off its pledge to ban artificial dyes from food.
The outlet claimed that the FDA “would loosen labeling requirements to allow companies to state ‘no artificial colors’, even though products may contain some dangerous substances such as titanium dioxide.”
“Amusing fake news. The FDA is moving full steam ahead,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary responded.
Amusing fake news.
— Dr. Marty Makary (@DrMakaryFDA) February 23, 2026
The FDA is moving full steam ahead. pic.twitter.com/NToEZYJKIK
More from The Guardian:
The FDA in early February announced it would allow food makers to claim “no artificial colors” as long as the dyes are not petroleum-based, but health experts say even some naturally based additives present health risks, and the labeling would deceive consumers.
The move comes after the agency in 2025 began pressuring companies to phase out petroleum-based dyes, but stopped short of putting in place a ban. Removing toxins from food is a cornerstone of the Robert F Kennedy-led Maha movement. Kennedy is the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, which holds the FDA, and he quickly zeroed in on dye upon taking office last year.
The FDA agreed to what critics label a “handshake” with big food to stop using the dyes, though Kennedy framed it as “an understanding”. Some candy makers still are refusing to fully stop using artificial dyes.
The latest decision around labeling “is going to cause confusion and allow some companies to mislead folks about the colors that are present in their foods”, said Thomas Galligan, principal scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which researches food dyes.
“It’s frustrating, especially when the rhetoric suggests they are solving the problem, but in practice they’re just letting industry do whatever they want,” Galligan continued, adding that the rules were already so loophole-ridden that there were other ways that companies could deceive consumers. The most effective measure to protect consumers is a ban, he said.
“This could not be further from the truth. This administration has addressed a roadblock that prohibited companies using natural colors from highlighting that fact on the labeling,” said Kyle Diamantas, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods.
“Under the old way, companies that used only natural color were forced to call them ‘artificial’ when making labeling claims, creating consumer confusion and disincentivizing use. Fixing this issue will help companies continue to transition to using natural color alternatives as part of an industry wide phase out,” Diamantas continued.
“FDA is actively reviewing the safety of titanium dioxide. We have already received numerous commitments from industry leaders to abandon the use of TiO2,” he added.
This could not be further from the truth. This administration has addressed a roadblock that prohibited companies using natural colors from highlighting that fact on the labeling.
— Deputy Commissioner Kyle Diamantas (@FDA_KyleD) February 21, 2026
Under the old way, companies that used only natural color were forced to call them “artificial”… https://t.co/yBQ0K28dDO
White House Senior Advisor Calley Means called the reporting “utter bulls***.”
Utter bullshit.
— Calley Means (@calleymeans) February 21, 2026
Official response soon. https://t.co/FTx6A3YiTs
Read the full FDA release from earlier this month:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took additional steps to support the transition of our nation’s food supply from the use of artificial petroleum-based colors to alternatives derived from natural sources. Companies will now have flexibility to claim products contain ‘no artificial colors’ when the products do not contain petroleum-based colors. In the past, companies were generally only able to make such claims when their products had no added color whatsoever — whether derived from natural sources or otherwise.
The agency sent a letter to industry providing notice of the FDA’s intent to exercise enforcement discretion related to these voluntary labeling claims.
“This is real progress,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “We are making it easier for companies to move away from petroleum-based synthetic colors and adopt safer, naturally derived alternatives. This momentum advances our broader effort to help Americans eat real food and Make America Healthy Again.”
Additionally, the agency today also approved beetroot red, a new color option, and approved the expanded use of spirulina extract, an existing color additive derived from a natural source. These actions were initiated by two petitions and will further help the industry transition from petroleum-based food colors. This brings the total number of new food color options approved under the current administration to six.
“We acknowledge that calling colors derived from natural sources ‘artificial’ might be confusing for consumers and a hindrance for companies to explore alternative food coloring options,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “We’re taking away that hindrance and making it easier for companies to use these colors in the foods our families eat every day.”
This work builds on previous HHS and FDA actions to encourage companies to phase out the use of petroleum-based colors in their food products. In April 2025, HHS and the FDA first announced a series of new measures to work with industry to phase out use of all petroleum-based synthetic colors from the nation’s food supply—a significant milestone in the administration’s broader initiative to Make America Healthy Again. Ongoing progress in removing petroleum-based colors from the food supply is being publicly tracked by the FDA at Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes.
“We are working diligently to facilitate industry’s phase out of petroleum-based colors and speed up authorizations for colors that are derived from alternative sources,” said Kyle Diamantas, J.D., Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods. “The actions announced today give companies even more ways to transition to the use of alternative colors derived from natural sources.”
While the FDA encourages manufacturers to transition to alternative colors, including those derived from natural sources, the agency is also reminding manufacturers of their responsibility to ensure color additive safety. Therefore, the agency is issuing a letter that, among other things, highlights resources that may assist manufacturers of authorized color additives in maintaining high standards of safety and purity.
