RFK Jr to announce major shakeup to US food dyes tomorrow
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Robert F Kennedy Junior appears set to remove potentially dangerous food dyes from sweets, cakes and other treats sold in the US. The Health and Human Services (HHS) revealed the health secretary will be holding a press conference tomorrow alongside FDA head Marty Makary to 'announce the FDA's intent to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the nation's food supply'. There are at least seven dyes that fall into this category: Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6.
Used in the American food supply for decades to give treats an appealing hue, in recent years concerns have been raised over their health effects - including studies suggesting they can cause hyperactivity, cancer and other ailments. European countries have already banned them or heavily restricted their use, requiring warning labels disclosing the health risks. But American regulators have said there is not enough evidence that the dyes cause health issues. The new HHS Secretary vowed on the campaign trail to remove the dyes from America's food supply, tapping into concerns about harmful ingredients and their potential link to the US' chronic illness epidemic.
The press conference will be held tomorrow at 4pm ET in the Hubert Humphrey Building, which is the Washington home of the HHS. It is not clear what will be unveiled, but it is likely that the secretaries will present a timeline for getting the dyes out of foods. Last month, the HHS Secretary met with industry food leaders and told them to proactively remove the dyes from foods or he would be forced to act.
At the Washington gathering, there were the CEO's of Kellogg's, Smucker's and General Mills. The embattled HHS Secretary is also currently under fire for his handling of the measles outbreak in West Texas, which has spiraled to nearly 600 cases with public health officials saying it will take more than a year to get under control. Two healthy girls have also died. The dyes are known as petroleum based because they are often made by combining a product from petrol with another substance to create the brilliant color.
Natural alternatives are available, and are already used in multiple products in Europe — including in Skittles. The dyes have been linked to multiple health problems in animal studies, including cancer and a higher risk of developing tumors. There are also concerns that the bright colors could encourage people to eat more sweet treats, leading to weight gain which is linked to a whole host of chronic diseases. It follows moves from the states, with both California and West Virginia passing laws to ban some artificial food colorings.
There are at least 30 others, mostly Democrat, considering similar legislation. The FDA recently ordered that Red 3 must be removed from foods sold in the US by 2027 and medications by 2028, over concerns it can cause cancer. This dye is responsible for the bright red colors found in candies and lollipops, although there are now natural alternatives.
In July last year, the agency also said it would ban brominated vegetable oil over concerns it could damage the nervous system and irritate the skin. This ban, affecting sodas like Sundrop, came into force in August 2024 — with companies having one year to reformulate their products. Many states are also seeking a ban on Red 40, or Allura red — found in several popular snacks including Doritos, Skittle and Pepsi.
Yellow 5 is also on the chopping block, which has been linked to potentially triggering hyperactivity in children and damage to DNA. It is also used in Doritos, juices and cookies. Similarly, Yellow 6 — found in sugary breakfast cereals like Lucky Charms — and Blue 1 — found in sweets like gummy bears — have both also been linked to hyperactivity. Studies in animals have also suggested that Blue 2 — found in sports drinks — and Green 3 — often found in salad dressings — raised the risk of tumors developing, particularly in the bladder and testes.
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