Mars to launch M&M’s, Skittles and Starburst without artificial colors

Mars plans to launch new versions of M&M’s, Skittles and Starburst without artificial food colors. The company will use natural ingredients to maintain the products’ traditional colors.

Red will be derived from beet juice, yellow from turmeric, while green will be produced using a combination of turmeric, beet juice and spirulina. Beta-carotene and carotenoids will be used to create orange shades.

Mars said the development of the new formulations and adaptation of production processes took more than a decade. Reproducing the blue and brown colors of M&M’s and the purple shade of Skittles using natural ingredients proved particularly challenging.

The shift toward natural colors comes amid broader changes in the US food industry. In April 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to gradually phase out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes.

Tags: MARS