The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared a ban on certain artificial food dyes in candy and cereals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr made the announcement, emphasizing the need for America to “know what’s in their food.” The health secretary threw light on the importance of reducing exposure to potentially harmful substances, especially for children.
The significant move bans eight common artificial food dyes, including Red No 2, Orange B, 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.
Robert F Kennedy Jr announces ban on 8 artificial food dyes
As per a BBC report, while publicizing the landmark announcement surrounding the ban on artificial food dyes, RFK Jr alleged the country was unaware of what they consumed. He stated, “Americans don’t know what they’re eating,” calling attention to the broader effort to tackle the issue of safety. The use of artificial additives in food posed a serious threat, particularly in products consumed by children.
According to the report, the FDA has planned to phase out two petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the remaining six chemicals will be removed from the food supply by the end of 2026. Marty Makary, the FDA commissioner, noted: “For the last 50 years, American children have been increasingly living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals.”
Additionally, he underlined the need to remove food dyes to improve children’s health, given that experts have linked them with neurological problems in some. Emphasizing that artificial food dyes “make food companies money,” a former FDA official and the CSPI president added that the dyes “make ultra-processed foods more attractive, especially to children.”
Marion Nestle, a former nutrition professor at NYU, stated that countries like Britain, New Zealand, and Canada had already found ways to substitute artificial dyes with natural food colors. He said, “Plenty of non-petroleum alternative dyes exist and are in use,” highlighting the importance of the growing movement to restrict artificial dyes in food, marking a shift from harm to safety.
