Kraft Heinz announced on Tuesday that it will remove artificial food dyes from its products over the next two years. On the same day, General Mills revealed a similar plan.
In a press release, General Mills said it aims to eliminate certified colors from foods served in K-12 schools by summer 2026. It plans to remove them from all its products by the end of 2027. The company noted that 85% of its products are already free of artificial dyes, so only a small portion will be affected.
Kraft Heinz said that about 10% of its products currently contain color additives approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These include brands such as Crystal Light, Jell-O, and Kool-Aid.
Pedro Navio, president of Kraft Heinz North America, said the company removed artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors from Kraft macaroni and cheese in 2016. He added that Heinz tomato ketchup has never contained artificial dyes.
“As a food company with more than 150 years of history, we are always working to improve our recipes and products to better serve consumers,” Navio said. “Most of our products already use natural or no colors. We are continuing our efforts to reduce synthetic dyes while focusing on providing nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting food for Americans.”
These announcements follow a plan introduced in April by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to phase out eight synthetic food dyes in the U.S. food supply. At a news conference, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said health officials want to revoke approval for two synthetic dyes and work with companies to remove six others.
Kennedy said agencies had reached an understanding with major food companies to voluntarily remove artificial dyes. It is unclear what steps Kennedy might take if companies do not comply.
PepsiCo’s CEO said after Kennedy’s announcement that the company had already begun phasing out artificial colors. In-N-Out also announced in May that it would remove artificial dyes from its menu items.
Some companies, such as Kellogg’s, have said their products are safe and meet FDA standards.
The FDA last month approved two dyes and expanded approval for a third, allowing its use in more foods. Some studies have linked synthetic dyes to behavioral issues in children and cancer in animals, raising concerns that they could harm humans. While some nutrition experts advise avoiding artificial dyes, others say more research is needed to understand the risks.
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