Kraft Heinz—the brand behind iconic products like Kool-Aid, Jell-O, and of course, ketchup—has announced it’s phasing out artificial dyes across its U.S. product lineup.
The company says it won’t launch any new items containing synthetic coloring and plans to fully eliminate them by 2027.
According to a company statement, around 10% of its U.S. products currently contain artificial dyes, including well-known items from Crystal Light, MiO, Jet-Puffed, and more.
It’s worth noting that Kraft removed artificial dyes from its boxed mac and cheese back in 2016, and Heinz ketchup has never used them.
Whether this shift will help or hurt sales remains to be seen. While some consumers may appreciate a cleaner label, others could find the toned-down colors less appealing.
So, why now?
This move didn’t come out of nowhere. It follows recent efforts by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to push food companies toward more natural ingredients.
In April, the FDA announced it would begin phasing out petroleum-based dyes like Red No. 3, Yellow 5 and 6, and Blue 1 and 2 by the end of next year.
While there’s no official mandate, Kennedy said there’s an “understanding” between regulators and food companies to make the change voluntarily.
Online, people have mixed feelings
Commenters on Reddit’s r/UpliftingNews had a lot to say after reading about the update.
“Not surprised. RFK announced a few months ago that he wanted food companies in the US to remove specific artificial [dyes]… they already sold variants of their products in Europe that didn’t contain those dyes. And here we are,” one Redditor wrote.
“Just FYI natural dyes are not necessarily always healthier or safest than artificial dyes,” another person pointed out. “Some natural dyes, like carmine and turmeric, may cause allergic reactions and can have medication interactions.”
“This is good news but what about PFAS?” someone else asked. “Much more toxic and dangerous than food dyes.”
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