RFK Jr.: Petroleum-based synthetic dyes to be removed from US food supply and medications

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• The FDA will phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes in food and medications by the end of 2026.
• Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited potential health risks of these dyes, particularly for children.
• The FDA will expedite the approval of natural color alternatives and research the impact of food additives on children’s health.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it would phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the United States’ food supply and medications.

The announcement followed a news conference from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on April 22.

“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” Kennedy said.

“These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development. 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.”

It’s all part of the Trump administration’s program to Make America Healthy Again.

Here’s what you should know.

What dyes will be removed from food, medicines?

The dyes that will be phased out by the end of 2026:

• FD&C Green No. 3
• FD&C Red No. 40
• FD&C Yellow No. 5
• FD&C Yellow No. 6
• FD&C Blue No. 1
• FD&C Blue No. 2

Also coming within the coming months will be action to remove authorization to use:

• Citrus Red No. 2
• Orange B

Why are dyes used in food and medications?

Artificial dyes are used to “offset color loss due to exposure to light, air, temperature extremes, moisture and storage conditions; correct natural variations in color; enhance colors that occur naturally; provide color to colorless and ‘fun’ foods,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

How do you know if your food has artificial dyes?

Artificial dyes can be found in many processed foods, including:

• candies
• snack foods
• margarine
• soft drinks
• jams/jellies
• gelatins
• pudding and pie filling

Look for:

• FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2
• FD&C Green No. 3
• FD&C Red Nos. 3 and 40′
• FD&C Yellow Nos. 5 and 6
• Orange B
• Citrus Red No. 2
• annatto extract
• beta-carotene
• grape skin extract
• cochineal extract or carmine
• paprika oleoresin
• caramel color
• fruit and vegetable juices
• saffron

The FDA said exempt color additives are not required to be declared by name on labels but may be declared simply as “artificial color” or “color added.”

Will the petroleum-based dyes be replaced with other dyes?

“Today, the FDA is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary.

“The FDA is fast-tracking the review of calcium phosphate, Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and other natural alternatives to synthetic food dyes.”

Within weeks, the FDA will also authorize four new natural color additives and partner with the National Institutes of Health to conduct research on “how food additives impact children’s health and development,” according to the HHS.

What’s bad about existing food dyes?

“We have a new epidemic of childhood diabetes, obesity, depression, and ADHD. Given the growing concerns of doctors and parents about the potential role of petroleum-based food dyes, we should not be taking risks and do everything possible to safeguard the health of our children,” Makary said.

Kennedy in the past has linked food dyes and additives to ADHD and chronic diseases, such as obesity.

A study by the California’s Environmental Protection Agency in 2021 linked consumption of synthetic food dyes to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in some children. Similar studies also previously prompted the European Union to restrict food coloring.

However, the FDA lists on its website: “The totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives, but some evidence suggests that certain children may be sensitive to them.” 

Dairy Association reacts quickly, pledges to eliminate dyes in school lunches

The International Dairy Foods Association reacted quickly to the news released by Kennedy on April 22, pledging to “eliminate the use of certified artificial colors in milk, cheese, and yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs by the start of the 2026-2027 school year, or July 2026.

“The goal of the Commitment is to eliminate the use of Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 in any milk, cheese, and/or yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for reimbursable school meals by July 2026.”

The organization said it would “discontinue products containing certified artificial colors or to reformulate products with natural ingredients.”

“America’s dairy farmers and milk processors have always led the way in providing our families and schoolchildren with healthy, nutritious, and delicious milk products,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

“While I look forward to getting whole milk back into our schools, today’s announcement shows how the dairy industry is voluntarily driving change and giving consumers what they want, without government mandates,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Across the U.S., the total number of children who participated in school breakfasts was just over 14.3 million, with 28.1 million participating in school lunches. The vast majority — 11.3 million and 19.7 million respectively — received free or reduced prices for the meals.

5 states ban use of artificial colors in food sold to schools

“Five states — Arizona, California, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia — have already passed laws banning their use in foods sold to schools, and others are likely to follow suit,” the International Dairy Foods Association said.

What else is the FDA doing?

The Food and Drug Administration is:

• Establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives
• Authorizing four new natural color additives in the coming weeks, while also accelerating the review and approval of others
• Partnering with the National Institutes of Health to conduct comprehensive research on how food additives impact children’s health and development
• Requesting food companies to remove FD&C Red No. 3 sooner than the 2027-2028 deadline previously required