In a move that’s decades overdue, U.S. health officials have finally announced plans to nudge food companies away from using petroleum-based artificial dyes in the national food supply — but don’t call it a ban just yet.
At a press conference Tuesday, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed that the agency would “take steps” to eliminate synthetic dyes by the end of 2026 — primarily by counting on voluntary compliance from the same industry that’s profited from these additives for generations.
“We don’t have an agreement, we have an understanding,” Kennedy clarified, noting that while he’s spoken with manufacturers, no formal deals have been struck.
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Instead, the FDA is asking foodmakers to replace petrochemical-based dyes with natural alternatives — something they’ve already been doing for years in Europe and Canada.
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“For the last 50 years we have been running one of the largest uncontrolled scientific experiments in the world on our nation’s children without their consent,” Makary admitted in a stunning moment of candor.
Officials claim the FDA will soon establish a standard and timeline for companies to make the switch, revoke dye authorizations for those not currently in production, and eventually phase out the rest. However, there’s no legally binding commitment, and final rulemaking — which includes public comment and agency review — could take years.
Meanwhile, industry lobbyists are gearing up for a fight.
“FDA and regulatory bodies around the world have deemed our products and ingredients safe,” said Christopher Gindlesperger, spokesman for the National Confectioners Association. “We are in firm agreement that science-based evaluation of food additives will help eliminate consumer confusion and rebuild trust in our national food safety system.”
In other words: don’t expect them to back down easily.
What the Science Really Says
Health advocates have long demanded the removal of synthetic dyes, citing decades of research linking them to hyperactivity, attention disorders, and other neurobehavioral issues in children. The FDA has typically dismissed those concerns, maintaining that “most children have no adverse effects.”
Currently, 36 food color additives are allowed in the U.S. — eight of which are synthetic. One, Red 3, is already scheduled for removal from foods by 2027, after it was shown to cause cancer in lab rats. The same dye is still used in candies, baked goods, and even children’s medications.
Artificial dyes are still everywhere in the American food system — from cereals and candy to chips and juices. Meanwhile, in Europe and Canada, manufacturers are required to include warning labels on foods containing these additives, prompting most to quietly switch to natural colors.
Some U.S. states are finally catching up. California and West Virginia have passed laws limiting artificial dyes in foods — but those efforts remain the exception, not the rule.
So while the FDA is now taking a stand — sort of — skeptics say it’s far from enough.
Why now? Why so vague? And why the soft approach for an industry that’s knowingly fed our kids chemical dyes for decades?