Why the U.S. Quitting Artificial Food Dyes Is So Difficult | WSJ

Market Trend & Regulatory Landscape - RFK Junior's call to eliminate artificial colors by the end of 2026 has accelerated the trend towards natural colors in the food industry [1][3] - Over a dozen states are considering legislation to ban synthetic food dyes [15] Sensient's Business & Strategy - Sensient, a major dye manufacturer, has been producing natural colors for US food and beverage companies for over 15 years and is ramping up production [2][3] - The company estimates it will need 10 times the amount of product it has now to meet demand [8] - Sensient has been investing in the technical side of natural dye production for years, creating formulas that can withstand changes to heat, light and pH [6] - Sensient diversifies crop locations to maximize productivity by taking advantage of different growing seasons around the world, such as growing red radish in both the US and Peru [10] - Sensient has created its own testing standard for natural colors, as they don't currently have an FDA approval process, and rejects, on average, one out of four raw materials that fail to meet their safety standards [13][14] Challenges & Bottlenecks - Achieving the same color profile and vividness as synthetic colors in a whole range of applications is a technical challenge [6] - The supply chain is the single biggest bottleneck, with long lead times for sourcing raw materials like plants, fruits, and vegetables from around the world [7] - Natural disasters, such as typhoons and earthquakes, can destroy crops and disrupt the supply chain [9] - Finding land with lower pesticide use is important for product safety and cost reduction, as contamination can lead to rejected shipments [11][12] - Changing farming techniques to achieve the highest color pigmentation can be difficult with growers who are used to farming for pure weight [15]