Kraft Heinz promised today to purge certain artificial food dyes from its products by the end of 2027.

The move follows pressure from United States Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy jnr to excise colour additives from the nation’s food supply because of potential health risks.

The company said it will replace food, drug, and cosmetic (FD&C) dyes with natural versions when possible; create new colours and shades, if necessary; or simply remove colours. Nearly 90% of Kraft Heinz products are already free of those dyes.

The change will affect mostly beverages and desserts that still contain the dyes, such as Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Crystal Light powdered drinks and Jet-Puffed marshmallows, according to a company spokesperson.

Other well-known Kraft items won’t change. Kraft Mac & Cheese stayed bright orange when the company ditched artificial colouring in that product a decade ago for turmeric, paprika and annatto. Its ketchup never used an artificial colour to be red.

Do dyes pose a risk?

Some consumer advocacy groups argue the dyes aren’t worth the potential risk because they lack nutritional value.

They note a 2021 review of seven food dyes – performed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment – that found that the consumption of some food dyes can result in hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in some children, though sensitivity varies.

The changes are “long overdue,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, an organisation that promotes product safety.

Kraft’s announcement marks a significant shift, even if the vast majority of its offerings are already dye-free.

“Eliminating these synthetic dyes won’t impact the taste or nutritional content of impacted products,” Ronholm said.

“They may notice a slight change in the colour of some products, but it would be one of those situations where you really have to be looking for it.”

Food companies have maintained that the colours are safe and have been rigorously studied. Some researchers have said it’s difficult to isolate the effect of a single ingredient or additive from a person’s broader diet.

Kennedy’s campaign against dyes

Kraft Heinz is the latest company, including Tyson Foods and PepsiCo, to transition from artificial colours for popular products under pressure from government officials. In a post on X, Kennedy urged “more companies to follow this lead and put the well-being of American families first”.

Kennedy has repeatedly criticised the controversial dyes, and cracking down on the colours has become a major goal of his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda aimed at rooting out childhood illness and chronic disease.

In late April, Kennedy announced plans to phase out synthetic food dyes from the nation’s food supply. He said the Department of Health and Human Services had reached an understanding with the food industry to voluntarily remove six colours by the end of 2026.

That announcement caused confusion among food officials, who told the Washington Post there had not been an industry-wide commitment to excise dyes by next year.

Kennedy and his allies have said there are levers they can pull if companies do not remove the dyes voluntarily. The Food and Drug Administration, which is charged with regulating chemicals found in the food supply, has taken up the issue.

“Let’s start in a friendly way and see if we can do this without any statutory or regulatory changes, but we are exploring every tool in the toolbox to make sure this gets done very quickly,” Marty Makary, the head of the FDA, said in April.

A broader industry shift

US state governments have also moved to purge artificial colouring from food, increasing pressure on companies to change their ingredients. Food safety advocates anticipate more companies will soon join Kraft Heinz in removing the dyes.

In 2023, California passed a law prohibiting food from being sold in the state if it contains red dye No 3 starting in 2027.

This year, West Virginia’s Republican Governor signed sweeping legislation banning foods containing any of seven dyes from being served in school nutrition programmes starting in August, and from being sold in the state starting in 2028.

“Thanks to West Virginia, every company is going to have to remove dyes,” said Scott Faber, a senior vice-president at the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit advocating stronger food safety policies. “The FDA has failed for so many decades that state legislators had no choice but to step in to protect our kids.”

Lawmakers and politicians around the country have been focusing on efforts aimed at making school meals healthier. Kraft Heinz has drawn fire from at least one prominent person in Kennedy’s orbit for offering Lunchables at schools.

The weak standards that govern federally subsidised school lunches allowed Lunchables on to lunch trays in 2023. That move drew ire from Casey Means, a Kennedy ally US President Donald Trump nominated to be surgeon general, who in her book last year denounced the offering of “ultra-processed” food such as Lunchables.

The product drew additional fire after Consumer Reports released a report on the levels of sodium, lead and phthalates in the product.

Lunchables have since been removed from schools after demand from school administrators plunged.