RFK Jr. Says 8 Artificial Dyes Are Getting Pulled from the U.S. Food Supply

RFK Jr. Announces Plan to Phase Out Eight Food Dyes by 2026

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will phase out eight artificial dyes from the nation’s food and drug supply by the end of 2026, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced at a press conference in Washington on April 22. The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader Make America Healthy Again initiative. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dyes Found in Candy, Cereal, and Soda to Be Removed from U.S. Supply

The dyes—FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow Nos. 5 and 6, Orange B, and Citrus Red No. 2—are commonly used in candy, cereals, sodas, ice cream, and medications. Kennedy criticized their presence in everyday foods: “If they want to add petroleum, they want to eat petroleum… they shouldn’t be feeding it to the rest of us without our knowledge or consent.”

FDA Commissioner Cites Health Risks, Will Approve Natural Alternatives

FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary emphasized that the agency is taking action to eliminate these petroleum-based dyes, claiming that studies have linked them to health issues including ADHD, obesity, and gastrointestinal problems. The FDA will also approve four new natural color additives and work with the National Institutes of Health to research "how food additives impact children’s health and development." Food and Drug Administration / Wikimedia

Food Giants Expected to Cooperate Voluntarily, Says Kennedy

Kennedy stated that while no binding legal agreements are in place, major food manufacturers—including PepsiCo, General Mills, and Kellogg’s—have expressed willingness to cooperate. “We don’t have an agreement; we have an understanding,” he said. The White House / Wikimedia

Food Transparency Advocate Praises Move as Long Overdue

Food activist Vani Hari, who has long advocated for ingredient transparency, praised the announcement. “I never thought I’d see the day when the FDA actually did this… The FDA is no longer sleeping at the wheel,” she told USA TODAY. @thefoodbabe / X

New Ban Builds on Biden-Era Action Against Red Dye No. 3

This initiative builds on a prior effort by the Biden administration, which had scheduled a ban on Red Dye No. 3 by 2027. The FDA had received multiple petitions urging the removal of the dye from food and ingestible products, especially given its prohibition in cosmetics since 1990. Office of the President of the United States / Wikimedia

Experts Debate Risk

Although some scientists say the health risks of synthetic dyes are not fully proven in humans, others argue the lack of nutritional benefit warrants their removal. As Makary put it, “Why are we taking a gamble?” He pointed out that “41% of children have at least one health condition,” adding, “The answer is not more Ozempic, more ADHD medication, and more antidepressants. There's a role for those medications, but we have to look at underlying root causes." Applescapable / Wikimedia