On April 22, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced measures designed to phase out all remaining petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the American food supply.
Leading the charge is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has pledged to Make America Healthy Again as President Donald Trump’s controversial HHS secretary. “Nobody wants to eat petroleum,” noted Kennedy recently. And petroleum-based food dyes — typically just called synthetic food dyes — are indeed derived from crude oil, the naturally occurring substance formed over millions of years from decaying plants and animals under intense heat and pressure. Part of phasing out these synthetic dyes involves transitioning to natural alternatives and accelerating their review and approval.
This shift reflects growing consumer recognition that our food system needs reform. That's not a bad thing.
This shift reflects growing consumer recognition that our food system needs reform. That's not a bad thing. However, real change demands more than simply removing synthetic additives. It requires a fundamental rethinking of how we produce, market and consume food in America — and a commitment to prioritizing public health over company profits.
Currently, only a handful of certified color additives are approved by the FDA to use in food. Under the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the FDA is prohibited from approving any color additive that has been found to cause cancer in humans or animals. And the FDA asserts that color additives are safe for consumption when used in accordance with its regulations.
The FDA plans to ban the two rarely used dyes — Citrus Red 2 and Orange B — in the upcoming months while working with the food industry to voluntarily eliminate six commonly used dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3) by the end of next year. The three most popular remaining dyes — Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 — account for 90% of all food dye consumption in the U.S.
Under the Biden administration, the FDA had already initiated phasing out of Red No. 3. Advocates had argued for years that the dye should be banned because of research linking it to cancer in male rats at high doses.
And there are already efforts underway in various states to cut down or eliminate the dyes.
In October, California became the first state to prohibit school cafeterias from serving foods that contain six commonly used synthetic dyes. The law will go into effect in 2027, requiring manufacturers to replace these dyes with natural alternatives. West Virginia will ban the same dyes from schools this August and from all foods sold in the state in 2028. Utah and Arizona have also enacted similar laws.
There are plenty of reasons to be wary of foods that rely on synthetic dyes. Such products are typically ultraprocessed and high in fat, sugar and sodium. The cumulative effects of repeated exposure over a lifetime aren’t well understood. Additionally, there is limited research on how different additives interact with one another — and with other ingredients in the food matrix — during processing.
The concept of “dosage makes the poison” applies here, as combinations of dyes can complicate the assessment of how much artificial dye is being consumed. But at least some studies have shown worrying impacts on kids.
In the 1960s and the 1970s, U.S. tobacco companies conducted extensive market research with children and found that they preferred red products.
A systematic review of epidemiologic research on synthetic food dyes and neurobehavioral outcomes found a correlation between synthetic food dye exposure and adverse neurobehavioral effects in some children. Furthermore, the review suggested that the FDA’s Acceptable Daily Intake levels for synthetic food dyes may not adequately protect children from behavioral effects. The study also found that children and lower-income populations tend to have higher exposures, highlighting the need to improve access to healthier food options.
Compounding this problem is the fact that children are particularly attracted to colorful snacks. This isn’t a coincidence. In the 1960s and the 1970s, U.S. tobacco companies conducted extensive market research with children and found that they preferred red products. These companies later played a leading role in shaping U.S. food marketing from 1980 to 2001, developing "hyper-palatable foods" that became staples in the American diet.
Given this research and the actions being taken in some states, many U.S. food companies have already been reformulating their products. In 2015, General Mills removed artificial colors from some of its cereals — but it reinstated them two years later following consumer complaints. General Mills now offers schools a lower-sugar, artificial color-free version of Trix cereal, complying with the new food additive laws in California and West Virginia. Kraft Heinz removed artificial preservatives, flavors and dyes from its signature macaroni and cheese recipe in 2016. To maintain its signature yellow-orange hue, Kraft replaced artificial colors, including Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, with natural spices like paprika, annatto and turmeric.
At the same time, “natural” doesn’t automatically mean safer or better. For example, carmine — or the less concentrated cochineal extract — is a widely used natural red dye derived from the dried bodies of female Dactylopius coccus insects. It’s also a known allergen. Because natural colors are categorized as “exempt” from certification requirements, they are subject to less rigorous safety testing compared with synthetic dyes. Natural dyes also may require higher quantities to achieve the same vibrant colors, and they are often significantly more expensive than their synthetic counterparts. As a result, both the dosage of additives and the cost of food products may increase with new formulations.
To truly “Make America Healthy Again,” we must make nutritious foods more accessible and affordable while also reducing the overwhelming presence and consumption of ultraprocessed foods. The overconsumption of these foods is directly linked to all sorts of health problems like weight gain, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, healthy, whole foods remain out of reach for far too many families. Programs like Farm to School, which introduce students to locally grown produce and promote healthier eating habits, should be protected rather than halted.
But we must also resist falling into chemophobia — an irrational fear of chemicals — which only fosters unnecessary fear among consumers, makes them more vulnerable to misinformation and distracts from evidence-based solutions. Instead of superficial changes, we must confront the systemic barriers that make healthy eating a privilege rather than a basic human right.