Donald Trump's favourite candy might be banned: Here's what we know so far
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At a recent White House kids' event, press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that the POTUS loves pink Starbursts, Tootsie Rolls, ice cream sundaes and even McDonald's. He even received a handpicked selection of his favourite red and pink Starbursts candies from former House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
However, it seems the days of the President enjoying his favourite candies are limited if his Health Secretary Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. has a say. While Mars Wrigley, the manufacturer of M&Ms, Starburst and Skittles has resisted the Health Secretary's agenda against artificial food dye, the company has told USA TODAY that it is "exploring" alternatives.
Kennedy's fight against artificial food dyes
Image credits: X
In April, Kennedy, who has blamed America's chronic health problems and obesity on food, announced that 8 artificial dyes will be phased out from medications and the food supply by the end of 2026.
Many of these are found in candy, ice cream, soft drinks and jams.
A
by California's Environmental Protection Agency in 2021 linked the consumption of synthetic food dyes to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in children. Another
published in ScienceDirect revealed that synthetic food colours lead to early-onset colorectal cancer and even DNA damage. Considering their harmful effects, the European Union restricted food coloring and in 2024 California banned 6 dyes from use in public schools, followed by West Virginia, Virginia and Utah.
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According to Kennedy, while no formal agreement or legislation has been passed officially banning the food dyes, HHS and FDA have a "mutual understanding" with the food industry that they will be removed.
Will Starbursts have no more artificial food colouring?
Image credits: X, Getty Images
Since Kennedy's appointment, several companies such as Kraft Heinz, General Mills, Nestle, Tyson Foods and Hershey's have committed to removing all artificial food dyes from their products in the span of the next few years.
However, Mars has made no such promises with any timelines. A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley told USA TODAY that the conglomerate is yet to identify any
fully effective solutions" and believes it is "premature to make commitments" until it is certain they can be fulfilled. They added that the company would continue its efforts and hopes that they will be able to provide consumers with more artificial dye-free choices in the "near future"
What's interesting here is that it conducted an internal study 5 years ago to find that consumers globally, except Europe, don't mind artificial dyes in their candies.
One of them may be Kennedy's boss, Trump.
'For that reason, we will continue to prioritize our efforts to remove artificial colors in Europe – where consumers have expressed this preference – but will not be removing all artificial colors from our Mars Snacking portfolio in other markets," the company said in a statement from 2020.
It seems stacking up on his favourite candies should be a to-do on the President's list, unless he does something about it.
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