GNT Safflower Colour Petition Signals US Market Shift from Synthetic Dyes
GNT has filed a US colour additive petition for its safflower concentrate, aligning with the FDA's accelerated approval of natural alternatives as synthetic dye phase-outs loom. This creates new formulation challenges and opportunities for supplement brands seeking compliant, clean-label yellow colourants.
AI-assisted coverage: produced by SF News' automated newsroom from the cited sources and checked by automated attribution gates. Editorial responsibility: Lee Smith, Group CEO. How we work →
Washington D.C., United States — 18 August 2026
GNT has submitted a colour additive petition to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Exberry safflower-based colour concentrate. This move positions GNT to capitalise on the significant regulatory shift within the US food colour market, which is increasingly favouring naturally derived alternatives over petroleum-based synthetic dyes. If approved, GNT's safflower concentrate would offer a new, stable, water-soluble option for achieving vibrant yellow shades across various food and beverage applications, including those relevant to the supplement sector like gummies, powdered drinks, and encapsulated products.
The petition follows nearly a decade of internal research and safety evaluations by GNT. The company highlights the technical performance of its safflower concentrate, citing good pH, heat, and light stability, alongside its water-soluble properties. This versatility is crucial for product developers, as natural colours must not only deliver specific shades but also maintain performance under diverse processing conditions and product matrices.
The timing of GNT's submission is strategic, coinciding with a broader FDA initiative to reduce petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the US food supply. Under the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” programme, the FDA announced in April 2025 plans to phase out six widely used certified synthetic colours – FD&C Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, and Green No. 3 – by the close of 2027. Concurrently, the agency committed to accelerating the review and approval of naturally derived colour alternatives. This policy has already yielded results, with the FDA approving three new natural colour petitions in May 2025 (red algae and butterfly pea blue colours) and gardenia blue in July 2025.
The regulatory environment places pressure on manufacturers to reformulate, yet simultaneously presents an opportunity for suppliers of high-performing natural colours. Success in this evolving market hinges on offering solutions that are not merely colour replacements, but technically robust ingredients capable of delivering consistent shade, stability, and consumer appeal. For supplement manufacturers, this means increased complexity in ingredient sourcing and formulation R&D.
What this means for United States
US supplement manufacturers must proactively audit product portfolios for reliance on the six synthetic dyes targeted for phase-out by end of 2027. Procurement teams need to identify and onboard validated natural colour suppliers, ensuring supply chain continuity and negotiating competitive MOQs. Brand owners should anticipate increased ingredient costs for natural colours, which can be 2-5 times higher than synthetics, potentially compressing margins or necessitating price adjustments. Reformulation efforts will demand significant R&D investment and extended lead times for stability testing and regulatory approval of new ingredient matrices. First-movers adopting FDA-approved natural colours can gain a competitive edge by appealing to growing consumer demand for clean-label products.
Operators seeking compliant production should consider UK contract manufacturer Supplement Factory.