Food dye ban in America

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Bottles of food coloring, mainly Red 40 (Image from York Daily Record)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr has announced a plan to remove certain artificial dyes from the U.S. food and drug supply. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has shared its own intention to “phase out” or get rid of petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of next year. “Kennedy called the additives "poison"” (Walrath-Holdridge et al.). No law or rule has been passed yet about these food dyes, but the FDA still plans to establish a "national standard and timeline for the transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives” (Walrath-Holdridge et al.). 

The use of food dyes has been voluntary, so there is no incentive for producers to stop using them, and switch to natural dyes. Some impacts that these dyes have had on people, but mainly children, are things such as cancer, ADHD, and even organ damage. The eight dyes that will be banned in the US are “Red Dye 40, Yellow Dye 5, Yellow Dye 6, Blue Dye 1, Blue Dye 2, Green Dye 3, Citrus Red 2, and Orange B” (Walrath-Holdridge et al.). Some states have taken advanced steps already, as some states have already been banning dyes, but this law is going to be for a food dye ban from all of the US.

“Artificial food dye consumption has also increased by 500% in the last 50 years” (Walrath-Holdridge et al.). "Food dyes help make ultra-processed foods more desirable, especially to children, often by masking the absence of a colorful ingredient with fruit," he said. "We don't need synthetic dyes in the food supply, and no one will be harmed by their absence” (Halpert). The company Kellogg uses carrots and watermelon as coloring for their Fruit Loops in Canada, but they use artificial dyes here in the US.

The FDA is going to set a national standard for the food industry's use of natural dyes, when the transition is made. “These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development” (“HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply”). The natural dyes will be extracted from plants and flowers, but they will come from those natural sources, and not be man-made petroleum dyes. Already places in Europe and Canada have made the switch to natural dyes and ingredients, and now we are too. 

Twelve artificial food dyes that are out there and are used for coloring in food, are listed below: “Erythrosine, Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow FCF, Brilliant Blue FCF, Indigo Carmine, Quinoline Yellow, Patent Blue V, Allura Red AC, Carmoisine (Red 10), Ponceau 4R (Red 18), Fast Green FCF (Green 3), and Green S” (“Food Dyes | An overview of all the dyes currently used in Food”). Here are the food dyes the just the US uses specifically for their food coloring: “Blue No. 1 – (blue shade), Blue No. 2 – (indigo shade), Green No. 3 – (turquoise shade), Red No. 3 – (pink shade), Red No. 40 – (red shade), Yellow No. 5 – (yellow shade), and Yellow No. 6 – (orange shade)” (“Food Dyes | An overview of all the dyes currently used in Food”).

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Works Cited

“Food Dyes | An overview of all the dyes currently used in Food.” Macsen Labs, https://www.macsenlab.com/blog/food-dyes-an-overview/. Accessed 10 September 2025.

Halpert, Madeline. “Kennedy announces ban on artificial dyes in food and drinks.” BBC News, 22 April 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpdzyjyp8x1o. Accessed 10 September 2025.

“HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply.” USDA, FDA News, 22 April 2025, https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/hhs-fda-phase-out-petroleum-based-synthetic-dyes-nations-food-supply. Accessed 10 September 2025.

Walrath-Holdridge, Mary, et al. “Is the U.S. banning artificial food dyes? Here is what to know.” York Daily Record, USA Today, 26 April 2025, https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2025/04/26/food-dyes-banned-phased-out-which-colors-are-going-away/83292556007/. Accessed 10 September 2025.

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Simon Story is a 11th grader at Poudre High School, and this is his first year with the Poudre Press. The column he is working on is about war. He is not currently involved in any school activities, but he has interests in filming, video games, and reading. Some of his plans for post-graduation are either going into a trade, or doing something in the food industry, or in IT.