Food businesses preparing for ‘quick adaptation’ to new artificial color rules

NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) — Allison Vick says one of her most popular treats at Little Blue Macarons is the Fruity Pebbles macarons.

“It’s one of our best sellers,” she said.

Vick does use red food dye, which includes Red 3, in her baking mix.

“It makes them pop. If we didn’t include dye in our product, everything would be this sort of creamy brown color,” she said. “Adding color really makes things pop and it really makes things sell.”

The Trump Administration is now moving to phase out eight artificial food dyes from America’s food supply within two years, citing that the dyes could be harmful to our health.

Former President Joe Biden’s administration in January started the process to ban one artificial dye, Red No. 3, which will need to be removed from food by January 2027 and from medications by 2028 because it was shown to cause cancer in rats.

Vick says she does make some macarons with plant-based products for customers and is anxiously waiting to see how “go-to” food dye products are reformulated.

“Our whole industry is very susceptible to change at any time, whether that’s tariffs affecting things down the pipeline, whether that’s egg prices, whether that’s something like a dye color being banned,” said Vick. “We are very able to quickly adapt and change.”

Dr. Lindsey Taillie is a mom of two and a Nutritionist with the UNC Department of Public Health, as well as Co-Director of the Global Food Research Program.

She’s currently spearheading a multi-country project that supports healthier and more sustainable diets.

Taillie also studies unhealthy food marketing to kids.

“It’s about 15 to 20 percent of foods that are heavily sold or marketed to kids that contain artificial colors,” she explained.

When it comes to her own children, she tries to avoid as much artificial coloring as possible.

“We would view them more as special treats,” said Taillie.

She supports the federal changes, but feels the new rules go far enough or will shift people’s mindset.

“We’re also thinking about other potential preservatives, other chemical ingredients,” said Taillie. “We’re thinking about sugar, saturated fat and sodium.”