Snack Prices Set to Pop Amid FDA Dye Ban
Grocery prices have been a hot topic over the last few years amid inflation and tariffs, but something else could send costs soaring.
The Food and Drug Administration's recent announcement over the ban on certain petroleum-based synthetic dyes will likely impact the prices of America's favorite snack foods. Per MarketWatch, the shift from synthetic dyes to natural dyes might add as much as 10% to manufacturing costs which is often passed onto the consumer.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on April 22 that eight artificial dyes will be removed from everything from medications to the U.S. food supply by the end of 2026. California was already leading the way after banning six dyes in public school lunches in 2024 with Virginia and West Virginia also passing similar legislation.
James Herrmann, marketing director of food colors at Sensient Technologies, told The New York Times that the time crunch could be an issue. 'If everybody switches at once, there is simply not enough material around the world available to meet the demand," he explained of the manufacturing process for natural dyes which often requires more refrigeration and transportation.
The use of natural dyes is already standard in Canada and Europe, but in the U.S., a lot of the manufacturing and financial challenges still have to be figured out.
Per Newsweek, some of the impacted foods and snacks will include fruit cocktails (Red No. 3), Starburst (Red No. 40), Mountain Dew (Yellow No. 5), Lucky Charms (Yellow No. 6), Takes (Blue No. 1), Skittles (Blue No. 2), canned peas (Green No. 3), and sausage casings (Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Blue states call on FDA to expand abortion pill access
Attorneys general of New York, California, New Jersey and Massachusetts are asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand access to the abortion pill and remove some 'unnecessary' drug restrictions that have been in place for more than two decades. The joint petition, filed Thursday, comes days after FDA Commissioner Marty Makary committed to reviewing the abortion drug amid pressure from Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and some Republican lawmakers. The FDA first approved of the use of mifepristone and misoprostol for an abortion in 2000. Unlike surgical abortions, medication abortions do not need to take place in a clinical setting, and patients are able to take the pills at home. Most abortions in the U.S. are now medication abortions, according to data from the reproductive health and rights group Guttmacher Institute. In 2023, 63 percent of all abortions in the U.S. were medication abortions. The safety of mifepristone has come under increased scrutiny by some Republican lawmakers, citing a flawed study claiming the rate of adverse health events that occur among patients is far higher than previously reported. More than 100 scientific studies have been conducted looking at the safety and efficacy of mifepristone and misoprostol; all of them have found that the drugs are a safe way to terminate a pregnancy. 'Given Mifepristone's 25-year safety record, there is simply no scientific or medical reason to subject it to such extraordinary restrictions,' New York Attorney General Letitia James said. 'The FDA must follow the science and lift these unnecessary barriers that put patients at risk and push providers out of care.' Mifepristone's use is subject to a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program under the FDA. The attorneys general argue three requirements under the REMS program for the drug should be removed since they pose a burden to patients and health care systems. The first is related to prescriber certification. As part of the REMS program, health care providers who prescribe mifepristone are required to add their names to national and abortion provider lists, which the attorneys general say raise 'serious safety and legal concerns.' The second has to do with patient agreement forms. All patients who want mifepristone — even those using the drug to treat a miscarriage — are required to sign a document stating they are using the drug to end a pregnancy. The third requirement mentioned in the petition is connected to pharmacy certification. As part of mifepristone's REMS program, pharmacies that carry the drug are subject to tracking, shipping and reporting requirements, which the attorneys general argue may 'dissuade' some from carrying the drug. The FDA has yet to reply to a request for comment from The Hill about the petition.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sam's Club says it plans to remove synthetic dyes from private brand by end of 2025
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Sam's Club announced on Thursday plans to eliminate more than 40 ingredients from its private label brand, Member's Mark, by the end of the year. The wholesale chain said in a news release that under the initiative, 'Made Without,' it will alter its food and beverage products to offer items without certain ingredients in order to cater to specific dietary preferences. In April, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary announced plans to phase out several types of artificial, petroleum-based dyes used as food coloring in various snacks, drinks and desserts that line grocery shelves, mainly citing kids' health as the reason for the move. 'We take pride in the high-quality ingredients that go into our products, but what truly differentiates us are the ingredients we consciously leave out,' Julie Barber, chief merchant at Sam's Club, said. 'Our 'Made Without' commitment underscores our aspiration to be members' go-to destination for quality at a disruptive value. For us, it's about listening to our members and providing the items that resonate with their lifestyles.' Here is the list of ingredients Sam's Club plans to eliminate from its 'Made Without' products: Acesulfame-K (Acesulfame Potassium) (Ace-K) Acetylated Ester of Mono & Diglycerides (ACETEM) Artificial Flavors Aspartame Azodicarbonamide (ADA) Benzyl Alcohol Butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) Butylparaben Certified Synthetic Colors/FD&C Colors Cocamide DEA Cyclamates Cyclopentasiloxane Cyclotetrasiloxane Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate (DSS) DMDM Hydantoin Ethyl Vanillin Formaldehyde Hexa, Hepta, Octa Esters of Sucrose High Fructose Corn Syrup Lactylated Esters of Mono & Diglycerides (OLEON) Methylparaben Neotame Phthalates Potassium Bisulfate Potassium Bisulfite Potassium Nitrate/Nitrite Propyl Gallate Propylparaben Saccharin (All) Simplesse Sodium Ferrocyanide Sodium Propionate Sucroglycerides Sucrose Polyester Talc Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (Except for our 35-pound food service frying oils) Toluene Sam's Club said it has already released cookies and other snacks without artificial colors. The retailer is also offering fresh sushi as part of its 'Made Without' program. In addition to Sam's Club, Tyson recently announced it planned to eliminate synthetic dyes from its products, according to CEO Donnie King. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Are Pesticides in Your Food Harmful?
Credit - iStockphoto—Getty Images Various chemicals, from those in plastics to food additives, have made headlines lately for their potential roles in triggering diseases. Pesticides are unique among chemicals, though, says Melissa Perry, an environmental epidemiologist and dean of George Mason's College of Public Health. 'They're deliberately manufactured to kill things.' By poisoning weeds, pesticides clear the way for farmers' crops to thrive. But their deadly design may undermine human health, too. A recent report by a new federal advisory board, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission chaired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calls for further investigation of pesticides' effects to determine if their use should be limited. Some evidence does suggest that long-term exposure could lead to cancer and several other serious health problems. More research is needed to better understand these risks, but in the meantime, experts recommend simple, practical steps to reduce intake. Here's what we know about the risks of pesticides and how to lower your exposure. The MAHA report assesses 'root causes' of poor health in U.S. children. It describes pesticides as one of eight types of chemicals giving rise to chronic diseases. The report specifically takes issue with two weed killers, glyphosate and atrazine. They're the most commonly used pesticides by American farmers, and research has focused on them in lab experiments on animals, with several concerning findings. Other studies have drawn links between glyphosate exposure—mainly by consuming trace amounts in food—and health problems, including earlier death. In 2019, a large research review identified a 'compelling link' between glyphosate intake and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in humans, though in 2024 a federal judge criticized this study's design and approach. Additional research points to a range of diseases potentially related to glyphosate, but a recent review by Italian researchers on glyphosate was inconclusive and called for further research. Read More: Seed Oils Don't Deserve Their Bad Reputation Based on the evidence, the World Health Organization (WHO) has described glyphosate as 'probably carcinogenic to humans,' whereas the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found 'no evidence that glyphosate causes cancer in humans,' citing a dataset the agency considered more thorough than WHO's. The second widespread pesticide highlighted by the MAHA report is atrazine. Like glyphosate, it's been used by farmers since the 1960s, but research on animals in the 1990s began to show it could disrupt reproductive health and hormone regulation. Tyrone B. Hayes, a biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, found that atrazine interfered with the sexual development of frogs. Subsequent studies showed similar effects, as well as weight gain, in mice. Researchers have also observed that women in certain agricultural communities experience higher rates of abnormal menstrual cycles, compared to places with fewer farms. Other human studies show increases in several kinds of birth defects. Still more research links atrazine to breast cancer, but researchers at the National Institutes of Health have concluded 'no evidence of an association' with cancer. The EPA estimated that atrazine adversely affects 54% of all species and 50% of all critical habitats. 'I don't know how an Environmental Protection Agency can make a statement like that and then re-register the chemical,' Hayes says. In 2023, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data showed that 99% of food samples tested below the EPA's safety limit for pesticides. However, U.S. limits are considerably higher than what's allowed in the European Union, where atrazine has been effectively banned. Read More: The Best Longevity Habit You're Not Thinking About Pesticides called organophosphates have been studied by the EPA and others for links to neurological disorders such as ADHD. 'Research clearly shows that children exposed to higher levels did have more neurobehavioral problems,' says Jason Richardson, professor of physiology and pharmacology at the University of Georgia's Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research. Overall, uncertainty and debate about pesticides continues partly due to research challenges. People are typically exposed to multiple types of chemicals, so it's 'hard to attribute disease to one pesticide or pinpoint the definitive dose or exposure time' that makes people sick, Perry says. 'Just because a chemical is present doesn't mean it's doing anything bad, but in combination with other chemicals, it may be,' Richardson says. 'Efforts are underway to measure these combinations.' 'The country's agricultural policy follows science, not fear, speculation, and fringe narratives,' says Becky Langer-Curry, director of innovation at the National Corn Growers Association. The Corn Growers were 'perplexed' by the MAHA report, she adds. 'We need faith in the EPA's regulatory system to review the science. They're ensuring our food is safe, well below human risk.' In an email to EPA spokesperson Mike Bastasch said the EPA'typically regulates pesticides at least 100 times lower than where no adverse effects are seen in safety studies.' The agency is 'confident that the fruits and vegetables our children are eating are safer than ever,' Bastasch wrote. However, he added that the EPA is updating its evaluation of glyphosate's cancer-causing potential, and it's currently working on an Updated Mitigation Proposal for atrazine. In the meantime, researchers including Perry, Richardson, and Hayes think pesticides are dangerous enough that people should take precautions—but especially young kids, people who are pregnant, those who live close to farms, agricultural workers, and seniors. The first step is to become aware of pesticides in your environment. They're more common than people think, Perry says. 'Exposures happen routinely for most members of the American public.' Experts recommend contacting the environmental office of your county or city to learn whether you're close to a food production facility that uses pesticides. In 2017, kids and teachers at a Hawaii middle school reported unusual throat irritation and dizziness. They suspected the symptoms were caused by pesticides applied in nearby fields, and researchers found residues in the school's indoor and outdoor air samples. Read More: What to Do If Fluoride Is Removed From Your Water The detected levels were deemed below concerning thresholds. Bastasch says that, for communities near farms, the EPA studies potential exposure through the air and other pathways to make sure safety levels are based on sound science. Still, Hayes worries about the long-term effects of pesticide contact and absorption. 'For someone living in a farming community that's constantly exposed to estrogen mimics like atrazine, you're more likely to develop adverse effects,' he says. People take in atrazine mainly through their drinking water, after farm runoff carries the pesticide into local water systems. But some utilities are more effective than others at removing pesticide residues. The Environmental Working Group rates local water utilities. For people on well water, the federal government provides guidelines for testing it. Pesticide use is widespread enough—and disperses at such distances—that everyone should probably use a high-quality water filter, experts say. Atrazine can travel as far as 600 miles, Hayes says. As far back as 1999, USGS noticed that pesticides, including atrazine, were detected in places where farmers hadn't applied them. Even for residents of areas where a water treatment plant removes the chemicals, buying a filter certified to the NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53 provides some additional assurance of water safety. Look for filters in refrigerators and water pitchers that meet this certification. Eating organic foods can also help to reduce intake of pesticides, especially glyphosate. About 90% of pregnant women have detectable amounts of glyphosate in their bodies, according to one study. 'But when you put people on organic diets, you start to see that they no longer have pesticides in their urine,' Perry says. Research in 2020 found that eating an organic diet dropped glyphosate levels by 70% in children and their parents. In 2023, researchers put pregnant women on an organic diet for one week. Those who went all-organic decreased glyphosate in their urine by 43%. A 2019 study found a 95% reduction in organophosphates. Richardson calls these studies on organic foods 'intriguing' while noting that natural compounds used in organic farming may also be toxic beyond certain thresholds. Even when eating organic, 'make sure you wash your fruits and vegetables very well,' he says. Read More: Dermatologists Have a Dirty Little Secret One study found that soaking apples in baking soda mixed with water for 12-15 minutes eliminated more residue than water alone. However, according to another study, washing produce with running water is superior to baking soda, sitting water, and vinegar. Other research shows a gentle rubbing action during washing is effective. Aim for 20-30 seconds or longer if you have time. Peeling the skin and outer pulp will get rid of additional residue that penetrates into some produce. There's a major downside, though: you lose a portion of the beneficial nutrients and compounds, like fiber and vitamins, that help protect against pesticide toxicity. Some research suggests that replacing processed foods with diverse whole foods can reduce how many pesticides you ingest (but some research suggests there may be fewer benefits if they're not organic). Aside from nutrition, other lifestyle behaviors such as exercise, stress management, and good sleep may build a baseline of health that helps thwart the cumulative effects of pesticides and other pollutants. Overall, they influence how someone's body responds to their 'exposome,' Richardson explains—your total environmental exposures and how they interact with lifestyle behaviors and risk factors like age and genetics. Bastasch says the EPA assesses the combined risks of groups of pesticides that affect the body in similar ways, adding that the agency is continuing to advance research in this area. The exposome probably matters more than any one chemical type, but 'we're really just breaking the surface of understanding these interactions,' Richardson says. Until more definitive science emerges, maintain smart practices like scrubbing produce and striving for a healthy lifestyle. Contact us at letters@
