Questions about food dyes and natural colors

There is no binding federal deadline. FDA's voluntary phase-out targets the end of 2027 for Red 40 and five other certified dyes, and some state laws set earlier, binding dates.

No. Red 40 is still an authorized color additive in the U.S. FDA is pursuing a voluntary phase-out with a target of the end of 2027, not a ban.

January 15, 2027 for food and dietary supplements, and January 18, 2028 for ingested drugs. California's AB 418 bans Red 3 in food sold there from January 1, 2027.

FDA revoked the listing for Orange B, effective September 8, 2026. Citrus Red No. 2 has been proposed for revocation and is still listed.

No. Yellow 5 is not federally banned. It is in FDA's voluntary phase-out, targeted for the end of 2027. West Virginia bans it in food sold there from January 1, 2028.

OTHER Natural Flavors (OTHER for short) is an independent matchmaking service from Xponent21 Inc, an innovation agency in Richmond, Virginia. We run a reformulation audit, write a sourcing brief and introduce small and mid-size food brands to independent natural color and flavor suppliers.

No. The audit and your sourcing brief are free.

Suppliers see your product details. Your company name and contact details stay private until you approve an introduction.

Not always. Low pH, heat, light and long shelf life make some swaps hard, especially blues and greens. The audit flags those cases so you can ask suppliers for stability data.

Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3 and Citrus Red 2, plus a check for artificial flavors.

No. They are options to verify with your supplier and regulatory counsel.

Submit or claim your profile. We review every profile before it is published.

Yes. Use Claim your profile and tell us which company you represent. We verify every claim before it goes live.

OTHER does not buy or sell ingredients. Any quote or purchase is directly between the brand and the supplier.

Send a request through the Contact page. We delete the record permanently.