Politics
RFK Jr. Calls On Food Companies To Remove Artificial Dyes From Their Products
Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called on senior food company executives to remove artificial dyes from their products during a meeting last week. Kennedy, who has long been critical of artificial additives as part of his quest to “Make America Healthy Again,” told companies that he is prepared to take action if they do not act voluntarily.
According to a report from Bloomberg, Kraft Heinz Co., Kellogg, Smuckers, General Mills Inc. and Tyson Foods were among the food companies in attendance for Monday’s meeting. “Kennedy expects ‘real and transformative’ change by ‘getting the worst ingredients out’ of food,” reads a summary from the Consumer Brands Association, which was reviewed by the outlet.
The summary, which was penned by Melissa Hockstad, the chief executive officer of the CBA, Kennedy made clear that he intends to “take action unless the industry is willing to be proactive with solutions.”
The CBA, an industry organization responsible for packaged food, stated that they will request “specific expectations they have of the industry and sharing how HHS can help remove roadblocks for the industry to provide solutions.”
Kennedy meets with food industry executives
Kennedy’s demands come just months after U.S. health officials banned the artificial food coloring Red No. 3, which has been linked to cancers in animal testing. The product was commonly used in a wide range of products, including candy and cough medicine.
Other colors, which are used in tens of thousands of products in U.S. supermarkets and pharmacies, remain legal, however. Artificial coloring products are most commonly found in sodas, cereals and candy, all of which are widely marketed towards children.
Artificial dyes provide no increased nutritional value and do not significantly change taste, though they are widely used in the industry to make foods more visually appealing. A push to ban artificial dyes has long existed, with advocates pointing to cancer risks and concerns that dyes may be carcinogenic.
The Health and Human services director posted a photo of himself with food industry leaders on X, stating that he had a “great discussion” with them on “advancing food safety and radical transparency to protect the health of all Americans, especially our children.”
As Kennedy takes action at the federal level, more than a dozen states have moved to ban artificial food dyes in recent weeks. The range of states considering a ban varies significantly by ideology, with deep blue New York and deep red Oklahoma each considering to follow the federal government’s lead.
West Virginia recently passed a wide-ranging ban on any food product containing certain yellow, blue, green and red dyes often found in candies, snacks and other foods and drinks. The legislation passed with significant bipartisan support.
