Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has urged top executives at Kraft Heinz Co., General Mills Inc., and other major food companies to eliminate artificial dyes from their products before his term ends.
“Kennedy expects ‘real and transformative’ change by ‘getting the worst ingredients out’ of food,” stated an email from the Consumer Brands Association (CBA) to its members, obtained by Bloomberg News.
Following the news, US food stocks tumbled on Tuesday, with several major players experiencing sharper losses than the broader S&P 500 Index.
Health advocates have long criticized synthetic food dyes, arguing that they offer no nutritional value, serve only to make unhealthy foods look more appealing, and may pose health risks. Some research suggests dyes could be carcinogenic or contribute to hyperactivity in children.
According to the CBA memo, Kennedy told executives he wants artificial dyes removed from food “before he leaves office.” He also signaled his willingness to take regulatory action if companies do not move voluntarily.
“He made clear his intention to take action unless the industry is willing to be proactive with solutions,” the memo stated.
The CBA, a key trade group for the food and consumer goods industry, confirmed it is working with HHS staff to clarify specific expectations and discuss how the government can help eliminate regulatory obstacles to reformulation.
After the meeting, Kennedy posted a photo with industry leaders on X, vowing to “strengthen consumer trust by getting toxins out of our food.”
His push comes on the heels of a campaign targeting WK Kellogg Co., which began more than a year ago when food entrepreneur Jason Karp called on the company to remove artificial dyes from its cereals. Karp, along with health advocate Calley Means and food activist Vani Hari (aka “Food Babe”), has been vocal in supporting Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
“This is the kind of leadership we need to protect the American public,” Hari told Bloomberg.
“These food companies have already reformulated their products without dyes in so many countries. Now it’s time for them to do the same in America.”
While the CBA declined to share the internal memo with Bloomberg, the group did provide a letter sent to Kennedy on Tuesday, thanking him for a “constructive conversation.”
“The industry is committed to delivering safe, affordable, and convenient product choices to consumers,” the letter stated.
The US government has already taken steps to ban Red No. 3, a widely used artificial dye linked to cancer, starting in 2027. However, other artificial colors remain legal, and they continue to be found in tens of thousands of food and drug products across the US, according to NielsenIQ data.
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