RFK Jr Announces Ban on Eight Artificial Food Dyes
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that eight artificial dyes will be removed from medications and the US food supply by the end of 2026, including dyes commonly found in candy and sodas.
Speaking at a news conference in Washington, DC, RFK Jr. said federal agencies will work with food companies to eliminate the dyes from their products.
“I just want to urge all of you, it’s not the time to stop; it’s the time to redouble your efforts, because we have them on the run now, and we are going to win this battle,” he said. “And four years from now, we’re going to have most of these products off the market, or you will know about them when you go to the grocery store.”
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary also spoke at the event, outlining the plan to revoke authorization for two synthetic dyes, Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B. Additionally, the six remaining dyes will be eliminated from the food industry, including Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, and Blue No. 2.
“Today, the FDA is taking action to remove petroleum-based food dyes from the US food supply and from medications. For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,” Makary said.
Makary also argued that research shows a correlation between synthetic dyes and various health conditions.
“Why are we taking a gamble?” he said. “While America’s children are sick and suffering, 41% of children have at least have at least one health condition, and one in five are on medication. The answer is not more Ozempic, more ADHD medication and more antidepressants. There’s a role for those medications, but we have to look at underlying root causes.”
The move builds on earlier steps taken by the Biden administration. In January, the federal government began the process to ban Red No. 3, which must be removed from foods by January 2027 and from medications by 2028. The dye has been linked to cancer in animal studies, and the FDA is now asking companies to accelerate its removal.
According to ABC News, the initiative comes after Kennedy urged food industry leaders last month to eliminate artificial dyes by the end of his four-year term.
Some states, including West Virginia and California, have already enacted laws banning artificial dyes in school lunches. Twenty-six other states are currently considering legislation to ban food dyes or other chemical additives from foods.
