Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is celebrating the removal of artificial food dyes from popular brands like Jell-O.
Petroleum-based dyes are used to make foods more attractive in appearance and are common in ultra-processed foods consumed by children, including popular breakfast cereals and snacks.
Food dyes have no nutritional value and have been linked to health concerns, including ADHD and even cancer.
In April, Kennedy said the government had reached an “understanding” with major food companies to eliminate six artificial food dyes by the end of 2026.
The government also announced it was banning two rarely used dyes, Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B.
At the time, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary likened food dyes to a “toxic soup.”
“For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,” he said.
“The scientific community has conducted a number of studies raising concerns about the correlation between petroleum-based synthetic dyes and several health conditions, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, cancer, genomic disruption, GI issues – as I’ve seen in the hospital, and allergic reactions.”
Kennedy is also pushing to speed up the removal of Red No. 3, which has been found to cause cancer in rats.
Now, Kraft Heinz has announced it will no longer use artificial coloring, with plans to eliminate all synthetic dyes by the end of 2027.
Some of the impacted brands include Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, MiO, Jet-Puffed marshmallows, and Jell-O.
“As a food company with a 150+ year heritage, we are continuously evolving our recipes, products, and portfolio to deliver superiority to consumers and customers,” Kraft Heinz said.
“The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio.”
“In fact, we removed artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors from our beloved Kraft Mac & Cheese back in 2016,” the company added.
“Our iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup has never had artificial dyes — the red color comes simply from the world’s best tomatoes.”
“Above all, we are focused on providing nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting food for Americans, and this is a privilege we don’t take lightly,” the statement concluded.
Other companies that are ditching food dyes include General Mills, McCormick, and fast-food chains like Steak ‘n Shake and In-N-Out Burger.
“Big food brands are listening,” Kennedy said in an X post.
“From cereals to spices to fast food, artificial dyes and additives are being removed for [sic] America’s food supply.
“Thank you, @POTUS, for empowering me to put the health of our children and families first,” he added.
“Together, we will Make America Healthy Again.”
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