A major food brand is changing its recipes—what YOU should know about synthetic additives
- Replies 2
A major food manufacturer is the latest to adjust its recipes amid increasing scrutiny of synthetic additives in processed foods.
Following in the footsteps of other household-name brands, the company plans to phase out artificial dyes in some of its popular candy products.
The decision comes as new state laws and federal efforts continue to target ingredients considered potentially harmful.
Industry experts say this marks another step toward a broader shift away from artificial coloring in everyday foods.
Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law Sunday requiring food products containing artificial dyes or additives to carry a safety label warning they are “not recommended for human consumption.”
The new rule echoes recent actions from the Food and Drug Administration, which earlier this year officially banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food due to its links to cancer.
Food producers have until January 2027 to remove the dye from products sold in the US, including imports. Several companies are now racing to update their ingredients ahead of the compliance deadline.
Nestlé, which once pledged to remove synthetic dyes from its products in 2015, is now under renewed scrutiny after falling short of that goal.
This time, CEO Marty Thompson said the company is committed to meeting new expectations, noting: “We are always looking for different ways to offer great tasting, compelling choices for our consumers. As their diverse dietary preferences and nutritional needs evolve, we evolve with them.”
Critics, however, point out that consumers are still wary of companies that delayed action until regulatory pressure forced their hand.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken a public stance against food dyes, calling them “petroleum-based” chemicals that harm children’s health.
“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” Kennedy said in a recent press release.
“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.” His office has increased scrutiny of food brands that continue using synthetic dyes despite growing public concern.
Read also: Popular foods could look very different soon—RFK Jr’s FDA cracks down on this ingredient
As Kraft Heinz phases out dyes across its brands—including Oscar Mayer, Velveeta, and Jell-O—the company revealed that 90% of its product line is already dye-free.
Heinz President Bruno Savio emphasized that change has been coming for years, citing the company’s long-standing policy of keeping its signature ketchup free of artificial coloring. Other brands like General Mills and now Nestlé are racing to meet the 2027 deadline.
Products containing the soon-to-be-banned Red Dye No. 3 include popular items such as Brach’s candy corn, Yoo-hoo Strawberry, and Trolli Sour Crunchy Crawlers.
Read next: Is your grocery cart full of these banned items? Find out which popular goods are affected!
Do you support the crackdown on synthetic food dyes? Should candy makers and snack brands be held to stricter ingredient standards, or is this government overreach? Let us know what you think in the comments—your take might be as colorful as the candy itself.
Following in the footsteps of other household-name brands, the company plans to phase out artificial dyes in some of its popular candy products.
The decision comes as new state laws and federal efforts continue to target ingredients considered potentially harmful.
Industry experts say this marks another step toward a broader shift away from artificial coloring in everyday foods.
Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law Sunday requiring food products containing artificial dyes or additives to carry a safety label warning they are “not recommended for human consumption.”
The new rule echoes recent actions from the Food and Drug Administration, which earlier this year officially banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food due to its links to cancer.
Food producers have until January 2027 to remove the dye from products sold in the US, including imports. Several companies are now racing to update their ingredients ahead of the compliance deadline.
Nestlé, which once pledged to remove synthetic dyes from its products in 2015, is now under renewed scrutiny after falling short of that goal.
This time, CEO Marty Thompson said the company is committed to meeting new expectations, noting: “We are always looking for different ways to offer great tasting, compelling choices for our consumers. As their diverse dietary preferences and nutritional needs evolve, we evolve with them.”
Critics, however, point out that consumers are still wary of companies that delayed action until regulatory pressure forced their hand.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken a public stance against food dyes, calling them “petroleum-based” chemicals that harm children’s health.
“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” Kennedy said in a recent press release.
“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.” His office has increased scrutiny of food brands that continue using synthetic dyes despite growing public concern.
Read also: Popular foods could look very different soon—RFK Jr’s FDA cracks down on this ingredient
As Kraft Heinz phases out dyes across its brands—including Oscar Mayer, Velveeta, and Jell-O—the company revealed that 90% of its product line is already dye-free.
Heinz President Bruno Savio emphasized that change has been coming for years, citing the company’s long-standing policy of keeping its signature ketchup free of artificial coloring. Other brands like General Mills and now Nestlé are racing to meet the 2027 deadline.
Products containing the soon-to-be-banned Red Dye No. 3 include popular items such as Brach’s candy corn, Yoo-hoo Strawberry, and Trolli Sour Crunchy Crawlers.
Read next: Is your grocery cart full of these banned items? Find out which popular goods are affected!
