The push to eliminate artificial food dyes from products is gaining momentum across the country, as the Make America Healthy Again initiative has sparked new conversations about what's in our food. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called for the phase-out of petroleum-based synthetic dyes by next year.
Skepticism of artificial dyes in our food isn't new. But new rules, calls from the federal government and promises from food product companies have ignited a new shift towards natural alternatives. For American consumers already facing high grocery bills, the transition might wind up costing us more.
Companies like Kraft, Walmart and General Mills have already made promises, pledging to remove artificial dyes from their food products.
"I think those large companies want to keep their customer happy and they think that this move is going to do that," said Melissa Wright, a food safety extension specialist at Virginia Tech.
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Wright says replacing artificial dyes isn't as simple as it sounds. Natural colors are less stable and more expensive to produce. Blues and greens are especially hard to source naturally compared to reds and yellows.
"But also I think they have to be aware that the customer is going be unhappy when their product changes. We eat with our eyes first and we buy with our eyes," Wright said.
A lesson General Mills, the maker of Trix cereal, learned in 2015. After removing the dyes, consumer pushback resulted in the company adding the synthetic colors back two years later.
"For the vast majority of people, there are no real concerns for many of these food dyes," said Jamie Alan, an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University.
Alan says there are legitimate concerns about artificial dyes. Some studies suggest they may cause hyperactivity in certain children. But there's a lot we don't know when it comes to the additives' health impacts.
"One of the things we're unsure of is how much of that is due to the food dye versus a preservative like sodium benzoate. And then of course, many of these foods that are brightly colored also have a lot of sugar," Alan said.
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But the transition comes with challenges. Larger companies have the resources to make the switch.
"They have enough money to buy these really limited quantities of natural ingredients," Wright said.
Smaller producers struggle with limited supply and higher costs.
"And so the smaller producers are going to have to push a lot more of that price onto their customer," Wright said.
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream in Madison, Wisconsin, has already shifted the majority of its colors to natural alternatives. CEO David Deadman says it could add up to as much as 10 cents to each cone.
"To move to natural, that's just going to be the cost. And I have kids. It's definitely worth it," Deadman said.
Natural alternatives have their own issues with flavor and availability.
"Different ingredients will definitely have a different flavor. So we're trying to adjust and change that up again," Deadman said.
Both Wright and Alan agree the timeline for companies to fully transition by the end of 2026 is ambitious – particularly when it comes to the supply chain.
They also stress that access to affordable, nutritious food should remain the top priority.
"The color is not really the issue. It's the fact that it's a really highly processed food. And people tend to kind of glaze over that point," Wright said.
You don't need to panic clean your pantries. Experts tell us, looking at the role dyes play in our overall health is important, but in areas with food deserts or restricted access to fresh foods, nutrient-dense foods and stocking pantries should be the priority.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
