In April, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced a number of measures to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the U.S. food supply. For Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this was a key step in his efforts to Make America Healthy Again.
“These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development, Kennedy said at the time. “That era is coming to an end. We’re restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public’s trust. And we’re doing it by working with industry to get these toxic dyes out of the foods our families eat every day.”
Now, Kraft Heinz, one of the nation’s largest food and beverage companies in North America, said it will eliminate use of artificial colors in its U.S. products by the end of 2027 and will not use them in new products going forward.
In a press release, the company emphasized that the vast majority of its products are free of Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors (by net sales). Only about 10 percent of its portfolio uses artificial dyes, including products such as Jell-O, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, and Jet-Puffed.
“As a food company with a 150+ year heritage, we are continuously evolving our recipes, products, and portfolio to deliver superiority to consumers and customers,” said Pedro Navio, North America President at Kraft Heinz. “The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio."
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Navio highlighted that in 2016, Kraft removed artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors from its macaroni and cheese. At the time, the company didn't announce the changes, revealing later that the switch to use of natural alternatives like paprika and turmeric for the color largely went unnoticed by consumers.
"Above all, we are focused on providing nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting food for Americans and this is a privilege we don’t take lightly," Navio added.
Kennedy praised the decision.
"This voluntary step—phasing out harmful dyes in brands like Kool-Aid, Jell‑O, and Crystal Light—proves that when the government sets clear, science-based standards, the food industry listens and acts," he said on X. "I urge more companies to follow this lead and put the well-being of American families first. Together, we will Make America Healthy Again."
Just months after @HHSgov and @US_FDA announced it will phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply, @KraftHeinzCo has committed to remove all artificial dyes from its foods by the end of 2027.
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) June 17, 2025
This voluntary step—phasing out harmful dyes in brands… pic.twitter.com/SxRNh76QJB
Update: General Mills made a similar announcement on Tuesday, saying artificial colors will be removed from its cereals and foods by next summer and from its full retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
This change impacts only a small portion of General Mills’ K-12 school portfolio, as nearly all its school offerings today are made without certified colors. Similarly, 85 percent of General Mills’ full U.S. retail portfolio is currently made without certified colors.
“Across the long arc of our history, General Mills has moved quickly to meet evolving consumer needs, and reformulating our product portfolio to remove certified colors is yet another example,” said Jeff Harmening, chairman and CEO, General Mills. “Today, the vast majority of our foods are made without certified colors and we’re working to ensure that will soon apply to our full portfolio. Knowing the trust families place in us, we are leading the way on removing certified colors in cereals and K-12 foods by next summer. We’re committed to continuing to make food that tastes great and is accessible to all."
For decades, General Mills has proven its reformulation capabilities and delivered products that delight consumers and meet a changing landscape. General Mills is the leading provider of whole grains to Americans with other notable efforts including industry-leading sugar-reduction work across General Mills’ K-12 school portfolio, doubling vitamin D in General Mills’ cereals in 2023 to help close nutritional gaps, and reducing sodium by 20 percent across key product categories since 2019. (General Mills)
“General Mills announced Tuesday it’s taking artificial colors out of its products … Kraft Heinz, which makes brightly colored Jell-O and Kool-Aid, announced earlier Tuesday it will phase out artificial colors in the next two years.” https://t.co/BU3XcXDJal
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 17, 2025
