Synthetic and natural colors are in FDA’s handsSome states, including West Virginia and Arizona, have banned artificial dyes in school lunches. In May, the FDA approved three new natural color additives, including a blue color derived from algae. And in September, the agency proposed a ban on Orange B, a synthetic color that hasn’t been used in decades. Six synthetic dyes remain FDA-approved and widely used, despite mixed studies that show they may cause neurobehavioral problems in some children. Ultimately, PepsiCo does not want customers to have to choose between natural colors and familiar flavors and textures, Grzeda said.