Kraft Heinz will remove all artificial dyes from its food

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Kraft Heinz, manufacturer of beloved food and drink products from the classic Kraft Mac and Cheese and Heinz ketchup to Kool-Aid and Jell-O, will eliminate the use of all artificial dyes in its products by the end of 2027, the company announced Tuesday.

In a June 17 press release, the company said “nearly” 90% of its products were already free of Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors, also known as artificial or synthetic food dyes, and that it would be removing them from the remaining 10% of its products. The manufacturer also said it would not launch any new products using the dyes, effective immediately.

The FD&C dyes in question have been and still are allowed for use in food and drink products under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines. However, an announcement from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr in April indicated the agency is looking to revoke the approval of at least eight “petroleum-based synthetic dyes” in favor of “natural alternatives.”

Before the end of 2027, Kraft Heinz intends to replace the dyes with natural alternatives or “reinvent” new colors and shades for products where natural replacement color matches are not available.

“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,” Pedro Navio, North America President at Kraft Heinz, said in a statement. “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.”

Kennedy praised the move on a June 17 post to X, formerly Twitter, saying this “voluntary step” will phase out “harmful dyes” in brands like Kool-Aid, Jell-O and Crystal Light.

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Is the US banning artificial food dyes?

The FDA announced on April 22 that it will “phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply” by the end of 2026. The dyes have previously been allowed under FDA regulations and oversight.

The targeted additives include Red Dye 40, Yellow Dye 5, Yellow Dye 6, Blue Dye 1, Blue Dye 2, Green Dye 3, Citrus Red 2 and Orange B.

No formal agreement or legislation was passed officially banning the substances. Instead, HHS and the FDA have a “mutual understanding” with the food industry that the dyes will be progressively removed, Kennedy said at the time.

During an April 22 press conference, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency intends to revoke the approval of some dyes for use and work with industry leaders to substitute petrochemical dyes with “natural” ones. A press statement released by the FDA also said it plans to establish a “national standard and timeline for the transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives.”

The FDA will authorize four new natural color additives and expedite the approval of more, according to its statement. The agency will also partner with the National Institutes of Health to research the effect food additives have on children’s health and development.

Other companies promise to eliminate artificial dyes

Several major food and beverage companies have recently announced their plans to remove ingredients in the wake of the April HHS announcement.

At an April 24 earnings call, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company’s transition away from artificial colors was underway, with more than 60 percent of its business already in compliance. Popular snack brands under its portfolio like Lays, Doritos and Tostitos, will stop using artificial colors by the end of the year under the directive.

Tyson Foods made a similar promise in May, telling Reuters it was “proactively reformulating” products to eliminate the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of the month. Mars, Inc., the producer of Skittles, also announced in late May that it would be removing titanium dioxide from the colorful candy.