Kraft Heinz, General Mills to remove artificial dyes from food products over next 2 years
Kraft Heinz announced on Tuesday that it would be removing artificial food dyes from its products within the next two years, with General Mills announcing a similar measure the same day.
In a press release on Tuesday, General Mills said it is working to remove certified colors from K-12 school foods by summer 2026 and then all foods by the end of 2027.
The company said only a "small portion" of its products are being affected with 85% of its products being free from artificial food dyes.
Kraft Heinz said 10% of its products currently contain color additives, which are approved for use in food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including brands such as Crystal Light, Jell-O and Kool Aid.
Pedro Navio, North America president at Kraft Heinz, said in a statement that the company removed artificial colors, preservatives and flavors from its Kraft macaroni and cheese in 2016 and that its Heinz tomato ketchup has never had artificial dyes.
"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," Navio's statement read, in part. "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. … 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 companies' decisions come after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a plan in April to start phasing out eight synthetic food dyes in the American food supply.
At a news conference announcing the plan, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said health agencies were looking to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings and to work with the food industry to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes used in a variety of food products.
Kennedy said the agencies had reached an "understanding" with major food companies to voluntarily remove artificial food dyes from their products. It's unclear what action Kennedy could take if the companies don't comply.
Shortly after Kennedy's announcement, PepsiCo's CEO said on an earnings call that the company had already begun phasing out artificial colors. In-N-Out also announced in May it was removing artificial food dyes from menu items.
Other companies, like Kellogg's, have previously stated their products are safe for consumption, and they are following federal standards set by the FDA.
Last month, the FDA approved two dyes and expanded approval of a third, meaning it can now be used in a wider range of food products.
Some studies have linked dyes to behavioral changes in children as well as to cancer in animals, suggesting this could extend to humans.
Some nutritionists and dietitians say that it's best to avoid artificial food dyes, while others say more research needs to be done and the potential negative effects are still unclear.
