Kraft Heinz announced on Tuesday that it will no longer launch products with artificial colors in the United States. Furthermore, the company has stated its intention to eliminate synthetic dyes from existing items by the end of 2027.
The popular ketchup manufacturer already boasts that nearly 90% of its U.S. product net sales are free from food, drug & cosmetic colors, otherwise known as artificial colors or synthetic dyes. This development follows earlier reports that companies such as W.K. Kellogg and Tyson Foods have been striving to reformulate existing products and introduce new items without artificial dyes.
This move by Kraft Heinz comes just months after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlined plans to remove synthetic food dyes from the U.S. food supply. This initiative is a part of a broader effort to tackle chronic diseases and conditions such as obesity among Americans.
In early June, Walmart-owned Sam’s Club announced plans to eliminate over 40 ingredients, including artificial colors and aspartame, from its private label brand Member’s Mark by the end of this year.
Kraft Heinz assures that for the small portion of products that currently contain artificial colors, it aims to remove the dyes where they are not critical, or replace them with natural colors. The maker of Jell-O further added that it would also look to reinvent products with new colors where a matching natural replacement is not available. Reports indicate that the company is also actively working with its brand licensees to encourage them to remove artificial colors as well.
An increasing number of food manufacturers, like Kraft Heinz, are making the conscientious shift away from artificial colors and towards more natural alternatives. The aim is to combat health issues and promote better consumer choices. However, questions remain unanswered about the effectiveness of these measures and their impact on the wider food industry.
