- HHS Secretary sets 2028 deadline to eliminate synthetic dyes from consumer products
- FDA banned Red No. 3 in 2025 after 30+ years of cancer warnings
- Major manufacturers use dye-free formulas abroad but resist US changes
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. escalated his decade-long campaign against artificial food coloring during a tense meeting with cereal and snack industry CEOs this week. The closed-door summit with leaders from Kellogg's, General Mills, and J.M. Smucker included an unprecedented ultimatum: reformulate products to remove synthetic dyes before the administration leaves office, or face regulatory action.
The FDA's revocation of Red No. 3 authorization in January 2025 marked the first major policy shift, ending the 'provisional' status granted in 1969 despite animal studies showing thyroid cancer risks. This controversial decision followed intense lobbying from consumer groups and builds on the EU's 2010 mandate for warning labels on products containing certain dyes. However, Red No. 40 remains approved despite lacking comprehensive safety reviews since 2002.
Industry leaders argue that reformulation costs could exceed $2.3 billion collectively, citing challenges in matching color intensity with natural alternatives like beet juice and turmeric. A 2024 Consumer Brands Association report revealed 89% of manufacturers use different formulas for European markets, where synthetic dyes in children's foods fell 72% after regulatory changes.
Activist Vani Hari's Truvani organization delivered petitions with over 400,000 signatures demanding change, mirroring successful 2016 campaigns that removed dyes from Kraft Mac & Cheese. 'Parents shouldn't need chemistry degrees to buy safe snacks,' Hari stated, noting that U.S. children consume 3x more food dyes than their European counterparts.