Latest news with #syntheticdyes
The Standard
24-05-2025
- Health
- The Standard
US to phase out many synthetic food dyes, Kennedy and FDA head say
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary announces the FDA's intent to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the nation's food supply during a press conference at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 22, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Bloomberg
19-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Dum Dums Lollipops Stands by Bright Dyes, Despite RFK Jr.'s Push
The US government is pushing food companies to switch their bright synthetic dyes to natural colors — but the maker of Dum Dums lollipops and Sweethearts candy hearts is in no rush. Kirk Vashaw, chief executive officer of Spangler Candy Company, said a key problem with changing ingredients is taste. Take beet juice: 'That's a nice red, but it tastes like beets,' he said.
News24
18-05-2025
- Business
- News24
Can't claim ‘no artificial colours' while listing some on your chip packet, ad watchdog rules
The packaging on Master Chips has been found to be misleading for claiming the snacks have 'no artificial colours'. While the company argued its claim was true, the ingredient list included synthetic dyes E110 and E104. The ARB accepted the company was being truthful, but ruled the labelling was inconsistent and could confuse consumers. For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page. The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has upheld a complaint against The Snack Chip Co. over misleading claims that its Master Chips contained no synthetic colouring. While the front of the packaging claims 'no artificial colors', the ingredients listed on the back of the package include synthetic dyes. The list included synthetic dyes E110 (Sunset Yellow) and E104 (Quinoline Yellow). The complainant argued that the labelling created confusion and misled health-conscious consumers, who rely on accurate product information. The company argued that while synthetic dyes were listed as E-numbers for 'classification and traceability purposes,' the actual product formulations did not contain artificial colourants. The ARB ruled against The Snack Chip Co., stating that the packaging was indeed misleading. 'While the directorate accepts that the sworn guarantee by the flavour supplier should be true, the directorate cannot comprehend why, then, unused ingredients that contradict the 'no artificial colors' statement, are listed on the back of the packaging,' the ruling read. According to the ARB, the presence of synthetic dyes in the ingredient list directly contradicted the front claim of 'no artificial colours', creating an inconsistency that could confuse or mislead consumers. The ARB instructed the respondents to remove the statement from the product packaging entirely or ensure that the ingredients list accurately reflects the product's actual composition.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Fast food supplier reformulates recipes amid RFK's changes
America's biggest fast food meat supplier has revealed that it is reformulating its recipes in line with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's crackdown on food additives. Tyson Foods, which is based out of Arkansas and counts McDonald's, Taco Bell, KFC , Burger King, and Popeyes among its top customers, says it has been 'proactively reformulating' food products containing petroleum-based synthetic dyes. 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 - many of which have been linked to cancer and hyperactivity. Tyson has promised to strip the dyes from the products by the end of this month, with these changes relayed to its clients. Tyson Foods also owns dozens of popular brands including Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright Brand, Aidells, State Fair and Big AZ. An analysis by found that many products sold in grocery stores and by food vendors, including its Big AZ Chili Cheese Dogs, Hillshire Farm Cheddarwurst Dinner Sausages and Big AZ Angus Cheddar Cheeseburgers, contain synthetic colors and flavorings but the exact dyes are not specified on the company website. The ingredients lists for some products simply state that manmade colors or flavorings have been 'added'. Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King did not say how the changes would impact the flavor of the products. However, he highlighted that m ost of the meat company's retail-branded products, including Tyson chicken nuggets, do not contain synthetic dyes. Natural alternatives to the manmade colorants which have been implemented by other food giants include ingredients like beet juice, pomegranate juice, turmeric, saffron, carrot juice, and paprika. No products that Tyson offers in school nutrition programs include petroleum-based synthetic dyes, King said. The company supplies a number of food products to schools including chicken patties, meatloaf, beef burgers and hotdogs. It does not publicly disclose the exact number of schools it directly supplies within the US. Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said last month that the agency plans to remove synthetic food dyes from the US food supply by revoking authorizations of some and working with the industry to voluntarily remove others. Kennedy said that the efforts to remove additives from food were necessary to address chronic diseases in children and, without evidence, suggested that it would address rising rates of conditions ranging from ADHD to food allergies. A 2021 report from California's Environmental Protection Agency also linked artificial dyes to 'hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems' in some children, particularly those with ADHD or other existing behavioral disorders. Red 40 as well as Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 also contain benzidine, a human and animal carcinogen permitted in low levels. According to the FDA , ingestion of free benzidine raises the cancer risk to just under the 'concern' threshold, or one cancer in 1 million people. BHT, meanwhile, is an additive used to keep food fresh. It also may be found in beauty products like lip glosses and lotions, as well as chewing gum. The research on BHT is mixed, though some studies have suggested that it long-term exposure cause liver and thyroid issues in mice by disrupting hormones. Several states have made steps to ban or restrict these additives. In 2024, California became the first state to ban schools from serving foods containing red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, blue 6, and green 3. And New York state officials called for the removal of red dye No. 3, propylparaben, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide, and BHA.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Major fast food shake up as companies bow to RFK Jr and promise to strip chemicals from popular items in WEEKS
America's biggest fast food meat supplier has revealed that it is reformulating its recipes in line with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's crackdown on food additives. Tyson Foods, which is based out of Arkansas and counts McDonald's, Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King, and Popeyes among its top customers, says it has been 'proactively reformulating' food products containing petroleum-based synthetic dyes. 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 - many of which have been linked to cancer and hyperactivity. Tyson has promised to strip the dyes from the products by the end of this month, with these changes relayed to its clients. Tyson Foods also owns dozens of popular brands including Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright Brand, Aidells, State Fair and Big AZ. An analysis by found that many products sold in grocery stores and by food vendors, including its Big AZ Chili Cheese Dogs, Hillshire Farm Cheddarwurst Dinner Sausages and Big AZ Angus Cheddar Cheeseburgers, contain synthetic colors and flavorings but the exact dyes are not specified on the company website. The ingredients lists for some products simply state that manmade colors or flavorings have been 'added'. Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King did not say how the changes would impact the flavor of the products. However, he highlighted that most of the meat company's retail-branded products, including Tyson chicken nuggets, do not contain synthetic dyes. Natural alternatives to the manmade colorants which have been implemented by other food giants include ingredients like beet juice, pomegranate juice, turmeric, saffron, carrot juice, and paprika. No products that Tyson offers in school nutrition programs include petroleum-based synthetic dyes, King said. The company supplies a number of food products to schools including chicken patties, meatloaf, beef burgers and hotdogs. It does not publicly disclose the exact number of schools it directly supplies within the US. Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said last month that the agency plans to remove synthetic food dyes from the US food supply by revoking authorizations of some and working with the industry to voluntarily remove others. Kennedy said that the efforts to remove additives from food were necessary to address chronic diseases in children and, without evidence, suggested that it would address rising rates of conditions ranging from ADHD to food allergies. A 2021 report from California's Environmental Protection Agency also linked artificial dyes to 'hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems' in some children, particularly those with ADHD or other existing behavioral disorders. Red 40 as well as Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 also contain benzidine, a human and animal carcinogen permitted in low levels. According to the FDA, ingestion of free benzidine raises the cancer risk to just under the 'concern' threshold, or one cancer in 1 million people. BHT, meanwhile, is an additive used to keep food fresh. It also may be found in beauty products like lip glosses and lotions, as well as chewing gum. The research on BHT is mixed, though some studies have suggested that it long-term exposure cause liver and thyroid issues in mice by disrupting hormones. Several states have made steps to ban or restrict these additives. In 2024, California became the first state to ban schools from serving foods containing red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, blue 6, and green 3. And New York state officials called for the removal of red dye No. 3, propylparaben, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide, and BHA.
