
Food companies to phase out artificial colors amid 'Make America Healthy Again' campaign
In April, Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency aims to remove artificial food colors from the food supply against the backdrop of mounting concerns about their potential links to health issues such as ADHD, obesity and diabetes.
Here are the companies that are preparing to eliminate synthetic dyes from their food products in the U.S.:

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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
How to protect yourself from the bad air caused by wildfires
When wildfires burn, the smoke can travel long distances and degrade air quality far away, which presents risks for those breathing it. Fires burning in one state can make air worse several states away, and wildfires in Canada can send smoke into U.S. cities. Here's what to know about taking precautions against poor air quality due to wildfires. What counts as bad air? The EPA 's Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better. Anything below 50 is classified as 'healthy.' Fifty to 100 is 'moderate" while 100-150 is unhealthy for 'sensitive groups,' and anything above 150 is bad for everyone. Sensitive groups include people with asthma, lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Buffalo's medical school. 'If you have heart or lung problems, then you've got to be definitely more careful," Sethi said. "I would either avoid going outside or wear an N95 (mask) or at least a dust mask.' Is my air unhealthy? Sometimes the air is bad enough to see or smell the smoke. Even if you don't see the pollution, it can be unhealthy to breathe. The EPA maintains a website with up-to-date, regional air quality information. PurpleAir, a company that sells air quality sensors and publishes real-time air quality data, has a citizen scientist, air quality monitoring network with a more granular map of street-by-street air quality readings. The best way to get indoor air quality readings is to buy a monitor, said Joseph Allen, director of Harvard University 's Healthy Buildings Program. 'You can find these low-cost, indoor air quality monitors just about everywhere online now. They don't cost all that much anymore,' he said. What if I have to go outside? For most people, going outside for just a short time won't have a negative long-term impact, said Sethi. Wearing an N95 mask, which became common during the coronavirus pandemic, will help filter out the pollution. 'N95 is going to get rid of 90-95% of the particles,' said Jennifer Stowell, a research scientist at Boston University's Center for Climate and Health. 'If you have access to a mask that has a respirator-type attachment to it, then that's the very best.' If you must be outside and you experience symptoms, experts say you should head indoors or somewhere else with better air quality. Even if you are healthy, it's good to take precautions. "If you start wheezing, which is like this whistling sound of the chest, or if you're feeling short of breath, that's definitely more concerning,' Sethi said. How do I make my air cleaner? Close the windows and turn on the air conditioner, if you have one, setting it to circulate the indoor air. Use blankets to cover cracks that allow outside air into your home, such as under doors. Finally, swapping the air conditioner's filter for a MERV 13 filter can help, though you should make sure it's installed correctly. 'If you happen to have access to an air purifier, even if it's just a room air purifier, try to keep it running and in the room that you're doing most of your activities in,' said Stowell. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at


The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Lidl issues urgent ‘do not eat' warning over popular product amid allergy fear
A major UK supermarket has issued a product recall with a 'do not eat' warning for one if its popular meals. Lidl GB has told consumers who bought the Red Hen 4 Tempura Chicken Steaks 380g to check whether they are part of the affected batch. The product is being recalled because milk has not been boldened in the ingredients section - with the supermarket warning this could pose a health risk to people intolerant to milk. 'Lidl GB is recalling the above-mentioned product due to milk not being in bold within the back of pack ingredients,' the supermarket said in its product recall notice. 'This may be a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to milk. 'If you have bought the above product and have an allergy to milk we advise you not to eat it. 'Customers are asked to return this product to the nearest store where a full refund will be given.' The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the product 'contains milk making it a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents'. 'Lidl is recalling the above product from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall,' the FSA added. 'The company has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers. These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.' The recall only applies to the packs with the following 'best before' dates: 11/12/2026 16/12/2026 22/12/2026 30/12/2026 16/01/2027


Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Woman who had $400-a-day nitrous oxide habit is found dead outside smoke shop
A Florida woman died after developing a crippling, $400-per-day addiction to nitrous oxide that once left her temporarily paralyzed. Meg Caldwell, 29, of Clermont in the Orlando area, was found dead outside a smoke shop in late 2024 years after becoming hooked on whippets, a slang term for canisters that contain nitrous oxide. She began doing whippets recreationally in college before it spiraled into a full–fledged addiction, her sister said. Leigh Caldwell told Boston 25: 'She would spend $300, $400 at a smoke shop in a day.' On one occasion, after overdosing on the drug, Meg temporarily lost use of her legs. Leigh said: 'A doctor in the hospital said, "This is going to kill you. You're going to die."' Even after the terrifying experience, she continued to use nitrous oxide. Leigh added:'Her whole life had become derailed due to her addiction to this drug.' Meg would buy nitrous oxide from local smoke shops, inhale it in the parking lot and then head back inside for more. Another sister, Kathleen Dial, told the BBC: 'She didn't think that it would hurt her because she was buying it in the smoke shop, so she thought she was using this substance legally.' The youngest of four sisters, Meg was 'the light of our lives,' Dial added. Nitrous oxide - also known as laughing gas - is sold legally in the US, though some states regulate the product's sale. Meg's family has filed a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers of nitrous oxide and seven Florida smoke shops to stop retail sales of the drug. John Allen Yanchunis, an attorney who represents the Caldwells, said: 'This is not a wrongful death case. The Caldwells made a decision that their focus would be for the public good.' Meg isn't the only one who has suffered from the dangerous addiction. From 2019 to 2023, the number of deaths attributed to nitrous oxide poisoning rose by more than 100 percent, according to the CDC. Dr Gaylord Lopez, executive director of the Georgia Poison Centertold Boston 25 that 'a lot of these patients are adults who are being seen in the emergency room after having experienced blackouts, unconsciousness.' He described how chronic use of nitrous oxide robs the brain and heart of oxygen. This can lead to blood conditions, blood clots and temporary paralysis. Nitrous oxide can cause death through a lack of oxygen, or by the substance's effect on the cardiovascular system – as it can lead to dangerous changes in heart rate and blood pressure. Drug addiction counselor Kim Castro told Boston 25 that she's had four clients who have died from nitrous oxide poisoning. She said: 'You really don't know when you'll stop breathing, when you'll lose consciousness, when your body will stop functioning. It's pretty scary.' Galaxy Gas, a company that produces flavored whipped-cream chargers and dispensers containing nitrous oxide, is named in the lawsuit. Its dispensers became famous after going viral last year, as people filmed themselves using the products. TikTok has since blocked 'Galaxy Gas' as a search result. In March, the FDA released a statement advising consumers not to inhale nitrous oxide products, including Galaxy Gas and many other brands. Lawyers for the brand said it was sold to a Chinese company last year.