FDA to Revoke Authorization for the Use of RedNo.3 in Food and Ingested Drugs，The future of natural pigments is promising.

On January 15th, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in accordance with the Delaney Clause in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), officially revoked the authorization of the artificial color "Red No. 3 Dye". This means that the use of this synthetic red pigment will be completely prohibited in foods, beverages, dietary supplements, and oral medications in the United States.

The substitution of natural red pigments will become a major hotspot in the food industry. At present, the sources of natural red pigments are mainly divided into three categories: plant extraction, pigment - rich foods, and precision fermentation technology. Each substitution solution has its unique advantages and challenges.

1. Natural pigments from extraction sources include betalain, cochineal red, monascus red, capsanthin, lycopene, etc.

2. Red - colored pigment - rich foods mainly come from fruits, vegetables, and edible plants. They are processed into various red hues through traditional physical methods to meet the formulation requirements of the food and beverage industries. These include strawberry powder, pitaya powder, beetroot juice, etc.

3. Raw materials from precision fermentation technology. As an emerging method for producing natural pigments, precision fermentation technology is attracting the attention of more and more enterprises. By culturing specific microorganisms (such as fungi), they secrete natural pigments. After subsequent processing, stable natural red pigments can be obtained, which are ideal ingredients for plant - based meat, as well as beverages, candies, gummies, yogurt, and baking mixtures.