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Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Business owners chew on how FDA dye restrictions will affect them
One local business owner seemed moderately concerned at how dye changes could affect her operations. Others expected less impact. In a statement issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, the Health and Human Services Department announced initiatives to remove six petroleum-based artificial dyes from the food supply. The administration is aiming to remove the dyes by the end of 2026 with a broader plan to 'Make America Healthy Again.' 'Today, the FDA is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,' FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in the statement. He outlined concerns including childhood diabetes, obesity, depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder by 'doctors and parents' who fear a potential connection to petroleum-based food dyes. 'We should not be taking risks and do everything possible to safeguard the health of our children.' Initiatives include revoking authorization for two synthetic food colorings, Citrus Red No. 2, used to color orange peels, and Orange B, used to color sausage casings, 'within the coming months.' The government also intends to remove six remaining synthetic dyes — FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Blue No. 2 — from the food supply by the end of next year, remove FD&C Red No. 3 sooner than previously requested, and authorize 'four new natural color additives in the coming weeks,' including 'calcium phosphate, Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue, and butterfly pea flower extract.' Galdieria extract blue is made from algae, gardenia blue is a powder made from a gardenia flower extract, and butterfly pea flower extract results in a blue coloring. Schronda White, of Scranton, the owner of Sturdy Candy and Consignment Shop for the past 2½ years, said she had no idea that the dyes, some commonly used to color popular candies, had any connection to health issues, and has concerns that the changes might affect her business. 'I'd probably lose a lot of business because I'm a candy store,' she said, adding that in time, with research, she could find candy that uses 'the right dye' so that her business could recover, and that she has concerns about selling products that could 'harm anybody's health.' 'I would never put anybody's health or situation at risk, I would never do that,' she said. 'I would probably have to close and regroup and take the candy where they say dye is not recommendable and have to do a whole sweep. I wouldn't sell that candy.' In a candy ingredient and nutritional declaration dated from 2022, issued by Mars Wrigley, colors listed in the ingredients in M&Ms and Skittles include 'Blue 1,' 'Yellow 5,' 'Yellow 6' and 'Red 40.' Joe Fasula, owner of Gerrity's Supermarkets, doesn't expect the FDA's actions to cause big changes in the grocery industry. 'As far as the grocery stores themselves, it should be seamless for us,' he said, explaining that the stores 'don't really use any dyes' in their production. 'There may be some in our ingredients, as far as our bakery icings and such. I would think those would just transition over to whatever the alternative dyes are,' he said, adding he is uncertain about how new dyes may affect prices. He said over the years, things have changed in the grocery industry in general, citing examples including more avocados and off-season fruit in the produce aisle, fat percentages listed on beef packaging, and added sugar being included on food labels, and said he believes 'more information is better.' 'Sunlight is the best disinfectant,' Fasula said. 'I'm always opposed to more regulations, but I'm always in favor of more information, and I think that information is the best way to replace regulations. You don't need regulations, necessarily, as long as people are informed.' Kelly Baker, the manager at Everything Natural, a healthy food supermarket in Clarks Summit, said they support the changes. 'Oh, gosh, we're definitely on board, we don't carry anything in our store that has any artificial colors or flavors,' said Baker. She said if they happen to accidentally order an item with an ingredient that they don't feel is safe for customers, they 'don't put it out.' 'All our colors are based on fruit — like say if something needed red colors, it'd use beet for that,' Baker explained. She said she's seen a lot of change in the last 20 to 25 years in what people want to eat, and she expects the rest of the food industry will 'catch up' to her store's exacting standards, in time. 'People are more geared to the natural foods, and we have people coming in looking for natural and organic items that don't have artificial flavors and colorings,' Baker said, explaining she believes it's because people 'want to be healthier.' She said she believes it's possible that artificial colors and red dye may cause health issues. 'I'm not saying that's true, but they're saying a lot of things can cause autism, can cause this, can cause that,' she said, adding she understands that Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is spearheading the initiative to 'ban all that kind of stuff,' including 'the coloring, the dyes, everything artificial.' Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' website at invites supporters to purchase merchandise like a 'Make Frying Oil Tallow Again' hat. In Pennsylvania, House Bill 1130, introduced March 17, aims to 'prohibit the sale of products containing Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3 in any public school in the Commonwealth,' citing research pointing to the improved academic and behavioral performance by students who eat healthy, and to problems with brain development, hyperactivity and more for those who do not. 'There is a growing body of evidence that links artificial food dyes to many negative health effects on children including hyperactivity, inattention, irritability, as well as other behavioral and developmental issues,' the bipartisan bill memo states. 'Artificial food dyes serve no nutritional purpose whatsoever. We do not believe these dyes have any place in our schools.' Schronda White, of Scranton, the owner of Sturdy Candy and Consignment Shop, holds one of her candy displays. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)Sturdy Candy and Consignment Shop signs are displayed. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)
The Hill
23-04-2025
- Health
- The Hill
List: Which foods contain the dyes that RFK wants eliminated in the US?
(NEXSTAR) – U.S. health officials announced this week they plan to phase out several types of artificial, petroleum-based dyes used as food coloring in countless snacks, drinks and desserts that line our grocery shelves. The officials, including Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., mainly cite kids' health as the reason for the move. Mixed studies indicate the synthetic dyes can cause neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and attention issues, in some children. However, the FDA has maintained that the dyes currently found in U.S. foods are safe and that 'the totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives.' The types of food coloring the FDA wants to eliminate by the end of 2026 are: FD&C Red No. 40 (or Red 40) FD&C Green No. 3 (or Green 3) FD&C Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6 (or Yellow 5 and 6) FD&C Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2 (or Blue 1 and 2) The FDA also said its starting the process of revoking authorization of two more synthetic dyes – Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B – and wants to move up the deadline for banning Red 3, a move that was already in the works. Which foods contain Red 3, the dye now banned by the FDA? Eliminating these entirely would require reformulating lots of popular foods, from cereal to candy to soda and sports drinks. We checked the labels of mass-produced popular grocery items and found the dyes in dozens of foods you may have in your pantry right now. Breakfast foods Colorful cereals, especially the ones your kids love, are likely to have one or more of the dyes outlined as problematic by the FDA. Lucky Charms, for example, have Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1 listed among their ingredients. So do the colorful Fruity Pebbles and Froot Loops cereals. Other breakfast pastry items, like Pop Tarts, and even some yogurts, list several of the synthetic dyes among their ingredients, too. Snacks and dessert Colorful, mass produced cookies (like these Circus Animals) and chips (Doritos and Hot Cheetos, for example) are all likely to contain several of the soon-to-be-eliminated artificial colors. Even some foods you don't think of as especially colorful, like Twinkies, contain the dyes (Yellow 5 and Red 40 in this case). Several types of ice cream and popsicles will also have the ingredients listed when you check the labels, as will Jell-O and pudding snacks. You won't be shocked to learn they are often found in candy, like gummy worms and Skittles. Meat and produce It's even more of a surprise when synthetic dyes show up in foods we don't consider highly processed or made in a factory. For example, Citrus Red No. 2, is used to color skins of orange fruit. Orange B can be used to color the casings of sausages and frankfurters. The FDA said it hopes to begin revoking authorization of both those dyes 'in the coming months.' Medicine Another place you may be surprised to find these types of ingredients is in medicine like cough syrup or cough drops. Not all brands or formulations contain them, and you'd have to check the label to know for sure. Drinks Synthetic dyes aren't just found in food, but also commonly in drinks, including soda (like Fanta and Mountain Dew) and sports drinks (like Gatorade and Powerade). How will food makers get rid of these dyes? FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference Tuesday that the agency would largely be relying on voluntary efforts from the food industry to help eliminate the dyes by 2026. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who joined the gathering, said he had heard from food manufacturers, but had no formal agreements with them. 'We don't have an agreement, we have an understanding,' Kennedy said. The officials said the FDA would establish a standard and timeline for the industry to switch to natural alternatives, revoke authorization for dyes not in production within coming weeks and take action to remove remaining dyes on the market. 'Today, the FDA is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,' Makary said. In Canada and in Europe — where synthetic colors are required to carry warning labels — manufacturers mostly use natural substitutes, like plant-derived dyes made of beet juice, algae, cabbage, radishes and even crushed insects.
Int'l Business Times
23-04-2025
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
Eight Harmful Dyes Will Be Phased Out Of American Food Supply: RFK Jr.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a milestone step toward reducing artificial additives in the American food supply, a move that could reshape everything from cereal bowls to candy aisles. The agency is rolling out sweeping measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This initiative is part of Kennedy Jr.'s broader "Make America Healthy Again" campaign and includes revoking authorization for certain artificial dyes while working with the food industry to voluntarily remove others. The decision comes amid growing concerns about potential links between synthetic dye consumption and health conditions such as ADHD, obesity, and diabetes, as discussed during a joint press conference. "Today, the FDA is taking action to remove petroleum-based food dyes from the U.S. food supply and from medications. For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals," said FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary at the event. As part of the plan, the FDA will "revoke authorization" for two synthetic food dyes, Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B, within the coming months. The agency also plans to work with the food industry to phase out six more widely used dyes: FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2, by the end of next year. "These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children's health and development. That era is coming to an end. We're restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public's trust. And we're doing it by working with industry to get these toxic dyes out of the foods our families eat every day," Kennedy Jr. said in a news release. Meanwhile, the agency also announced plans to authorize four new natural color additives in the coming weeks, while fast-tracking the review and approval of additional natural alternatives. It will also be partnering with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to launch comprehensive research into how food additives affect children's health and development. Originally published on Medical Daily
New York Post
22-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
8 harmful dyes will soon be phased out of US food under plans unveiled by FDA, RFK Jr. — here's what could be next
The dye is cast. Eight harmful petroleum-based synthetic dyes will soon be phased out of the American food supply, according to plans unveiled Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary. Over the coming months, the FDA will revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings — Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B — and collaborate with the food industry to remove six other synthetic dyes. Advertisement 'For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,' Makary declared during the announcement at HHS Tuesday. 4 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. harked back to his childhood when chronic illnesses were much rarer. AFP via Getty Images The other six synthetic dyes that will get phased out over time include Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2 — which can be found in foods such as Pop-Tarts, hot dog casings, Takis and Mountain Dew. Advertisement As part of the reform measures, health officials at the FDA and HHS plan to set up a timeline with food companies to push the industry away from petrochemical-based dyes and toward natural alternatives. To boost that transition, the FDA plans to authorize four natural color alternatives within the next few weeks and accelerate the review of others. 4 MAHA moms joined the HHS secretary and the FDA commissioner during the announcement. REUTERS 'If they want to add petroleum, [if] they want to eat petroleum, they ought to add it themselves at home, but they shouldn't be feeding it to the rest of us without our knowledge or consent,' Kennedy said. Advertisement Health officials also plan to pressure food companies to eliminate Red No. 3 faster than the prior deadline of 2027-2028. Red No. 3, which was approved in 1907 and is found in candy, cakes and cupcakes and frostings, has been linked to cancer and behavioral issues, according to the FDA. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) plans to research the adverse effects of food additives on children's health. 4 Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary urged food companies to turn toward natural alternatives for dyes. REUTERS Makary pointed to studies such as one by The Lancet that raised concerns about the 'correlation' between petroleum-based synthetic dyes and ailments such as hyperactivity, obesity, diabetes, cancer, gastrointestinal problems, allergies and more. Advertisement 'For companies that are currently using petroleum-based red dye, try watermelon juice,' he suggested. 'For companies currently combining petroleum-based yellow chemical and red dyes together, try carrot juice.' The FDA has confirmed that it is monitoring potential links between some of the dyes and hyperactivity, but has also acknowledged that a firm connection has not been completely established. 4 Artificial food dyes are prominent in an array of food products such as cereals, snacks and more. REUTERS There are a total of 36 FDA-approved food dyes, including the nine artificial ones that come in part from petroleum and others that are derived from natural foods like vegetables. Eliminating chemical additives in food has been a key objective of the 'Make America Healthy Again Movement' (MAHA) that Kennedy has championed. 'All of these industries cast a dark shadow historically over this agency and there's so many conflicts that we are now systematically eliminating that has allowed them to suppress the science,' Kennedy lamented. 'There's shockingly few studies, even on food dyes.' The HHS secretary admitted that, for now, his department doesn't have a formal agreement with the food industry for its phase-out plan but has an 'understanding' with the top companies about the additives he wants to eliminate. 'You win more bees with honey than fire,' Makary said when pressed about the mechanics of how the FDA and HHS plan to remove the artificial dyes from food products. Advertisement 'Let's start in a friendly way and see if we can do this without any statutory or regulatory changes,' he said. 'But we are exploring every tool in the toolbox to make sure this gets done very quickly. 'They want to do it.' Over recent weeks, executives at fast food chains and other food companies have been 'calling us almost every day' inquiring about the changes they should make, Kennedy claimed. Despite his qualms with the industry, Kennedy claimed that top food companies have 'shown a lot of leadership on this right now.' The Kennedy scion indicated that the effort to root out petroleum-based artificial dyes in the food supply is merely the opening salvo to his MAHA agenda. Advertisement 'We're going to start on that next,' he said when asked by a reporter about pharmaceutical additives he eliminated. Other changes he intends to make include a public awareness campaign to encourage healthy habits and an 'open source website' in which federal health officials will 'post all the information we have about every additive.' 'There's things that we'll never be able to eliminate, like sugar. And sugar is poison. And Americans need to know that,' Kennedy said, before later noting he wants 'zero' sugar in American food. Some of the reforms he wants, such as strengthening labeling requirements and trying to reduce the use of ingredients like sugar, will require congressional input. Advertisement Kennedy was flanked by a slew of MAGA moms and other prominent backers of his crusade to overhaul food practices in the US. 'If a foreign nation was doing to our children what we are doing in America, we'd go to war to protect them,' chronic illness guru Dr. Mark Hyman remarked during a brief speech backing the dye announcement. 'Every day, Americans consume thousands of chemicals in our food, many of which have never been independently tested for long-term safety.' Advertisement West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R), whom Kennedy fat-shamed as someone who 'looks like he ate governor Morrisey' a few weeks ago, praised the initiative as a worthy fight for the country's children. 'I want to get the crap out of our food and improve the quality of school meals,' Morrisey explained. 'They deserve real food, not chemical shortcuts designed to fool the eye but harm the body. That's what making America healthy again means to us.'
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
FDA Will Phase Out Food Dyes Used In Skittles, Gatorade And Froot Loops: What To Know
The Food and Drug Administration and Department of Health and Human Services announced moves Tuesday to phase out 'all petroleum-based synthetic dyes' from the food supply in the United States, a move that will likely impact major American food and drink companies. Petroleum-based dyes will be phased out by the end of 2026, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said at a press conference to announce the plan Tuesday. The FDA said it will work with industry to eliminate six synthetic dyes: FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Blue No. 2. Many companies—including General Mills, Kellogg, Kraft and PepsiCo—producing processed foods regularly use these dyes to 'offset color loss due to exposure to light, air, temperature extremes, moisture and storage conditions,' according to the FDA. The FDA said it is also asking food companies to stop using FD&C Red No. 3—which was banned earlier this year under former President Joe Biden—earlier than its previous deadline of 2027, according to a press release. This story is developing and will be updated. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here. RFK Jr. to announce intent to phase out synthetic food dyes (Washington Post) One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space. In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service. We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain: User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in: So, how can you be a power user? Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service.
