Food giant planning major change to its ingredients list
Brits are extremely fond of their food. From fish and chips to bangers and mash, our hearty grub is famous all across the world and a lot of the time, is accompanied by a good condiment, whether it's ketchup, mayo, or brown sauce.
In fact, those fond of a creamy dip or a salad dressing might want to pay attention, as one of the world's largest food companies is planning a big change to its ingredient list across the Atlantic.
Kraft Heinz has announced it will stop using artificial dyes in all US products by the end of 2027. The company also said it won't use any synthetic colours in new products going forward, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Artificial dyes, like Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6, Blue 1 and 2 and Green 3, are used in everything from sweets and frosting to pie crusts. They are used to make foods look more appealing or bring back colour that was lost during processing.
But many health experts, including those in the US Government, are now rallying against them.
In April, the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vowed to work with food companies to get rid of six synthetic dyes from US foods by the end of 2026.
The effort is part of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" - or MAHA - initiative. Kennedy, who is US Health Secretary, has blamed artificial dyes and other additives for health problems in children.
While some food industry groups argue the dyes are safe and approved by regulators, others are already changing course. Companies like PepsiCo and WK Kellogg are also working to reduce or replace synthetic dyes.
Nearly 90 per cent of their US products already have no artificial dyes, Heinz said. But some much-loved items in the US still do, like Crystal Light, Heinz relish, Kool-Aid, Jell-O and Jet-Puffed marshmallow products.
"The vast majority of our products use natural or no colours and we've been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colours across the remainder of our portfolio," Pedro Navio, Kraft Heinz's North America president, told The WSJ.
The company said it will either remove the colours, replace them with natural ones or swap in different colours where exact matches aren't possible. In some products where color isn't necessary, it may be removed entirely.
Kraft Heinz made changes to its beloved mac and cheese, removing artificial colours, preservatives and flavours from their recipe in 2016.
The company also confirmed that its Heinz Tomato Ketchup has never contained artificial dyes, stating on its website that "the red colour comes simply from the world's best tomatoes."
The customer had asked about the availability of specific meals, including Sweet and Sour Chicken and Chicken and Broccoli Melt.
A Heinz spokesperson responded: "We've taken the strategic decision to streamline our UK portfolio which includes discontinuing our frozen line with Weight Watchers.
"This change will enable us to focus on the product lines that deliver the most value for our customers and pave the way for new innovation that meets changing consumer tastes, lifestyle needs and preferences."
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