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More than 75,000 Consumers Petition Kellogg’s to Remove Artificial Ingredients

Artificial colors, derived from petroleum, and artificial flavors, made up of a blend of synthetic ingredients and chemicals, live on in children's breakfast cereal
Image: Kellogg’s Mini Wheats breakfast cereal / Mike Mozart

Artificial colors, derived from petroleum, and artificial flavors, made up of a blend of synthetic ingredients and chemicals, live on in children’s breakfast cereal, despite several empty assurances that these harmful additives would be removed.

“In 2015, Kellogg’s announced plans to remove artificial colors and artificial flavors from their cereals by the end of 2018,” Vani Hari, founder of the Food Babe blog and social media account wrote in a petition directed at the cereal giant. “It’s now 2024 and Kellogg’s still sells several cereals with artificial colors and flavors in America, all of which target young children.”

The announcement came shortly after the company’s competitor, General Mills pledged to remove artificial flavors and colors from its breakfast cereals—a pledge the company has partially followed through on, depending on the product, although some products still contain bioengineered food ingredients.

Hari notes that the ingredients in Kellogg’s cereal sold in the United States greatly differ from the ingredients used for the same cereal brand in other countries. In the U.S., the company uses artificial colors that are “derived from petroleum – a crude oil product,” these ingredients require a warning label when sold in foods across Europe.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), Hari explains, is a “risky preservative linked to cancer in some animal studies as an endocrine disruptor that interferes with hormones.” This ingredient is also present in the version of Kellogg’s cereal sold in the United States, but not in other countries that more strictly regulate food ingredients.

Chlormequat, a highly toxic chemical substance, was found in Cheerios, owned by General Mills, and other oat-based products. The chemical has been linked to infertility and delayed puberty, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement in 2018 warning that some chemicals found in food colorings, preservatives, and packaging materials may harm children’s health and best be avoided,” an open letter to Gary Pilnick, Chairman & CEO of WK Kellogg Company included in the petition reads. “Artificial colors have been banned in countries like Norway and Austria, and the UK has imposed a voluntary ban. They may be contaminated with carcinogens and cause an increase in hyperactivity in children. Artificial colors add absolutely no nutritional value and are used solely for aesthetic purposes.”

The petition, started by Hari, has garnered more than 75,000 signatories.

On social media, Hari said that officials from Kellogg’s responded to the letter, penned by Jason Karp and his lawyer Alex Spiro, demanding the removal of artificial colors, flavors, and BHT from Kellogg’s products. “Kellogg’s just responded and they are willing to meet,” Hari shared. “This is our chance.”

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