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      President Donald Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). He did so as Trump fully supports RFK Jr.’s MAHA (Make American Healthy Again) movement. However, the news media has mainly been focusing on RFK’s controversial efforts regarding vaccines, especially those related to Covid. I discuss those in a three-part article posterd on my Covid website titled Covid Commentaries for July, August, and September of 2025 (RFK Jr. Is Shaking Things Up at HHS).

      However, in this multi-part article, I will look at health issues other than Covid and vaccines. Instead, I will discuss how Trump and RFK Jr. are shaking up traditional views about health and overhauling the health policy for the United States in the process.

Why Trump Nominated Kennedy

      Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., on Monday [1/27/25] said Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is “absolutely going to be a game changer” as the nation’s top health official.

      “I don’t agree with RFK on everything, but I fully support him. I think he’s absolutely going to be a game changer,” Marshall told Newsmax’s “National Report.” …

      “Sixty percent of Americans have some type of a chronic disease, and mostly that’s determined by what they eat and the toxins they’re exposed to. So, I’m just looking forward to working with RFK Jr” (1/27/25).

      Trump did not nominate Kennedy to be HHS Secretary due to Kennedy’s controversial views on vaccines. In fact, Trump disagrees with Kennedy in that regard. I document that in the above-linked to “Covid Commentaries” article.

      Statistics like this “60% of Americans have a chronic illness” are why Trump nominated RFK Jr. Something is clearly wrong with the health of Americans. That was made abundantly clear and made worse during the pandemic, as I detail on my Covid website (see for instance Obesity: The Reason COVID Has Hit the USA So Hard).

      There are many possible reasons for this sad statistic, but problems with our food supply are at the top of the list and will be the focus of Kennedy’s tenure and this series of articles. But other issues are also possibly relevant and will or at least should also be addressed by Kennedy and will be covered in this series.

Pre-Trump and RFK Jr.

      F.D.A. Bans Red Dye 3 in Foods, Linking It to Cancer in Rats.

      Consumer and food safety groups have long urged the agency to revoke the use of this dye and others. The F.D.A. says studies have shown that it causes cancer in rats, but not in humans (NYT. F.D.A.).

      Red 3 dye — also known as red dye No.3 and erythrosine — is a synthetic dye that’s derived from petroleum. The dye is usually used in some foods to create a bright, cherry-red color.

      In 1990, Red 3 dye was banned from use in cosmetics and topical drugs by the FDA under the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). This clause states that color additives may not be used in the U.S. if they cause cancer in animals or humans when ingested. (Research finds that Red 3 dye may cause cancer in high doses in rats, although studies on humans have not had the same conclusion.)…

      But many are also concerned about Red 3 dye’s potential impact on kids. The additive been connected to behavioral issues in children, and a 2021 report from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment found that kids who ate Red 3 dye (along with other food dyes) were more likely to struggle with hyperactivity and trouble focusing….

      There’s no need to panic over the additive for now. “Manufacturers will have until Jan. 15, 2027, to remove red dye No. 3 from their food products,” Syers points out. “For the time being, if you are concerned about consuming red dye No.3, you can check your ingredient lists for Red 3 and limit your purchases of those products” (Women’s Health. Which).

      Actions against food dyes (aka artificial food colorings) began before Trump retook office and Kennedy was confirmed as HHS Secretary, at least against this one. Yet Red Dye No. 3 has been banned in cosmetics for 35 years in the USA and is prohibited entirely in many countries outside the U.S. Strangely, however, it remained permitted in American foods.
 

      “It’s not okay to put it on your face but okay to put it in your mouth.” This backward logic was the official, and deeply strange, position of the FDA—one that desperately needed to be corrected. But there are many other food dyes used in foods that are also “derived from petroleum” and have possible connections to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and cancer.

      Thirty-six color additives are approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in food and drinks in the U.S. Nine petroleum-based chemical dyes, including Red 3, have been allowed in U.S. food.

      Public health advocates have been lobbying for state and federal action for years, pointing to research that links food dyes and other chemical additives to health risks, including exacerbating symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in some children and animal research linking certain additives to cancers.

      The European Union and some countries, including Australia and Japan, have banned or restricted the use of certain food dyes because of potential health risks (AP. States move).

      All of this is why Kennedy has made a focus of his MAHA movement to remove these dyes entirely from our food supply. He has said, “No one wants to eat petroleum.” But it is not an easy mission.

      The reason artificial food colorings are used is they are cheap and easy to produce, so they are readily available, and they provide vibrant colors to foods (think M&Ms or Fruit Loops). Meanwhile, it is more expensive and harder to use natural alternatives, so they are not so readily available, and the colors they provide might not be as vibrant as the artificial ones.

      The National Confectioners Association, a trade group for chocolate, candy, gum and mints sellers, said the new regulations will make food more expensive, less accessible and lead to less variety on grocery store shelves (AP. States move).

      However, Kennedy has argued that these natural food dyes are used elsewhere in the world, such as in Europe, and that has not affected the price, accessibility, nor reception of those foods by consumers. “So what if your Fruit Loops are not quite as bright” is his attitude. Kids will get used to the somewhat duller colors.

Kennedy, FDA Move to Eliminate Food Dyes as States Agree

      Kennedy Rattles Food Companies With Vow to Rid Food of Artificial Dyes

      Mr. Kennedy told executives of major food companies that he wants synthetic colors removed from their products. “Decision time is imminent,” a trade group warned its members (NYT. Kennedy Rattles).

      Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced in an April 22 briefing that the agency plans to work with industry to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the U.S. food supply.

      Those dyes are commonly used to make food and beverage products brightly colored and more appealing to consumers. They include red No. 40, yellow No. 5 and No. 6, blue No. 1 and No. 2, and green No. 3.

      Natural food dyes, which could replace them, are derived from vegetables, fruits, animals and minerals, according to the FDA.

      Makary’s announcement is the latest move in the push to get food companies to stop using artificial dyes due to concerns about negative impacts on animal and human health — including increased risk of cancer and neurobehavioral issues.

      The FDA also soon aims to authorize four new natural colorants and fast-track the review of others, including Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate (CNN. What eliminating).

      At this point, Kennedy and the FDA are only recommending that food companies eliminate artificial food dyes from their foods. But some states are taking it a step forward and banning such dyes altogether.

      West Virginia, which ranks at the bottom in the U.S. for many health metrics, became the first [state] to sign a sweeping statewide ban on seven such dyes this week. Lawmakers in more than 20 states — from deep red West Virginia to heavily Democratic California — are making a bipartisan push to restrict access to the dyes, which have been tied to neurobehavioral problems in some children and of which U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been an outspoken critic (AP. States move).

      The FDA announcement follows significant shifts in the legal landscape around food additives over the last two years. California banned red No. 3 statewide in October 2023, followed by a ban of six other common dyes in school foods in August.

      The FDA banned red No. 3 in January, effective for food on Jan. 15, 2027, and for drugs on Jan. 18, 2028 — but the agency is now asking food companies to eliminate the dye sooner. And in March, West Virginia passed the most sweeping law thus far, prohibiting seven dyes and two preservatives (CNN. What eliminating).

      California, Virginia and West Virginia have banned artificial dyes, and more than half of U.S. states, led by both Democrats and Republicans, are seeking to ban dyes and some other additives from foods, according to Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental health organization (CNN. Kraft).

Reaction of Food Companies

      Food companies initially balked at the vow of Kennedy and the push by the FDA. But with states banning such colorings, major food companies have begun to voluntarily eliminate artificial food dyes from their foods and to replace them with natural ones.

      The maker of Kraft Mac & Cheese, Heinz ketchup, Jell-O, Capri-Sun and other brands announced Tuesday [5/13/25] that it will remove synthetic food coloring from all of its foods sold in the United States by the end of 2027. The company also said it will not release any new U.S. foods with artificial dyes.

      “The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of (artificial) colors across the remainder of our portfolio,” Pedro Navio, Kraft Heinz’s North America president, said in a news release. The company removed artificial colors from Kraft Mac & Cheese in 2016.

      Kraft Heinz is one of the first U.S. packaged food companies to commit to removing artificial dyes from its brands. The move may push rivals to speed up efforts to phase out artificial coloring (CNN. Kraft).

      General Mills committed to removing all synthetic food dyes from American cereals and children’s K-12 products by next summer in a press release issued on Tuesday. 

      The release also noted, “The company will work to remove certified colors from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027” (RSBN. MAHA: Two).

      Orrville, Ohio-based J.M. Smucker Co. is taking steps to end the use of food color additives. The company said in a release that it had already stopped using FD&C coloring from many of its products, but this will take the company to the point where all will be eliminated (Newsmax. Smucker).

      Popular burger joint In-N-Out will be changing the ingredients to multiple items on its menu as the Department of Health and Human Services under Robert F Kennedy Jr is working to phase out some artificial food dyes by the end of 2026.

      Per Nation’s Restaurant News, the restaurant will be replacing the artificial food dyes in its pink lemonade and strawberry syrup, and will be replacing its current ketchup that contains high-fructose corn syrup (Postmillennial. RFK Jr WIN).

      These are just four companies I happened to see articles about that have promised to voluntarily eliminate artificial food dyes from their products, but I have heard of many more doing the same.

      Smucker is just the latest of nearly half a dozen food producers that have made similar announcements in the past two weeks. They include General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Conagra, and Nestle (Newsmax. Smucker).

      Several major food and beverage [companies] have recently announced plans to remove the dyes from their products. They include Nestlé, General Mills and Kraft Heinz.  PIM Brands, maker of Welch’s Fruit Snacks, also announced that it has already begun to remove artificial dyes from them, a process that will continue through next year (Health Day. FDA Approves).

      This is all great news. And RFK Jr. concurs:

      Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) celebrated the news on X, stating, “This voluntary step—phasing out harmful dyes in brands like Kool-Aid, Jell‑O, and Crystal Light—proves that when the government sets clear, science-based standards, the food industry listens and acts.”

      “I urge more companies to follow this lead and put the well-being of American families first. Together, we will Make America Healthy Again,” he concluded (RSBN. MAHA: Two).

Secretary Kennedy @SecKennedy

      Glad to see more companies like @Nestle and @ConagraBrands taking action to remove artificial dyes from their foods. I urge other companies to step up and help us Make America Healthy Again. Jun 25, 2025 (X post).

What is Being Used Instead

      If food companies are not going to use petroleum-based food dyes to color their goods, what are they going to use? Some might find the natural alternatives a bit hard to swallow.

      The FDA allows about three dozen color additives, including eight remaining synthetic dyes. But making the change from the petroleum-based dyes to colors derived from vegetables, fruits, flowers and even insects won’t be easy, fast or cheap, said Monica Giusti, an Ohio State University food color expert….

      Companies have long used the Red 3 synthetic dye to create what Sensient officials describe as “the Barbie pink.”

      To create that color with a natural source might require the use of cochineal, an insect about the size of a peppercorn.

      The female insects release a vibrant red pigment, carminic acid, in their bodies and eggs. The bugs live only on prickly pear cactuses in Peru and elsewhere. About 70,000 cochineal insects are needed to produce 1 kilogram, about 2.2 pounds, of dye (AP. How bugs).

      That last option, insects, is where some might be taken back. If fact, for those who follow biblical food laws (such as Jews and Muslims and even some Christians, like yours truly), it can be problematic, especially if they are very legalistic about their adherence to such laws. I say the latter, as the amounts used are tiny, but since most insects are listed as “unclean” in Leviticus, if you are trying to completely avoid them, you will really have to read the ingredients list of foods once the full changeover takes place.

      For more on clean versus unclean foods and legalism in food consumption, see my books on nutrition and the Bible, especially my book Creationist Diet: Second Edition.

Replacement Is Not Easy and Has Risks

      Replacing artificial food dyes with natural ones is a slow and laborious process and is not without risks.

      It can take six months to a year to convert a single product from a synthetic dye to a natural one. And it could require three to four years to build up the supply of botanical products necessary for an industrywide shift, Sensient officials said….

      Natural dyes are harder to make and use than artificial colors. They are less consistent in color, less stable and subject to changes related to acidity, heat and light, Manning said. Blue is especially difficult. There aren’t many natural sources of the color and those that exist can be hard to maintain during processing….

      Color is powerful driver of consumer behavior and changes can backfire, Giusti noted. In 2016, food giant General Mills removed artificial dyes from Trix cereal after requests from consumers, switching to natural sources including turmeric, strawberries and radishes.

      But the cereal lost its neon colors, resulting in more muted hues — and a consumer backlash. Trix fans said they missed the bright colors and familiar taste of the cereal. In 2017, the company switched back (AP. How bugs).

      Research on the effects of artificial dyes on human health is still underfunded, so there’s even less support for studies on natural alternatives, experts said.

      But generally, “compounds that give color to fruits and vegetables tend to have additional beneficial properties for human health,” such as anti-inflammatory agents, Giusti said.

      A small percentage of consumers have reported experiencing reactions ranging in severity from hives to anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal, after consuming products containing cochineal insect dyes, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The ingredients have therefore “been identified as allergenic substances that must be declared on the label of all food and cosmetic products,” according to the FDA (CNN. What eliminating).

      A natural blue food coloring made from gardenia fruit has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

      The additive — dubbed gardenia blue — can now be used in foods like sports drinks, flavored waters, fruit drinks, teas, and both hard and soft candies, the FDA announced July 14.

      It’s made by taking a compound called genipin from crushed gardenia fruit and combining it with soy protein. Gardenia fruit has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine.

      The color was proposed by the Gardenia Blue Interest Group, CBS News reported.

      Even though soy is used to make the dye, the group says no soy is expected to remain in the final product. Because of that, it asked the FDA to let companies skip listing soy as an allergen on food labels.  The FDA is still reviewing that request (Health Day. FDA Approves).

      That issue of allergies is an important one. The aforementioned insects could be a possible source of an allergic reaction for some, though again, we are dealing with very tiny amounts. But they could be problematic for especially sensitive people, as could be some of the other possible alternatives.

      But then, some people, like yours truly, are sensitive to artificial food dyes, so I welcome the change. Thus again, careful reading of food labels will be necessary for those with problems in this regard. I have been doing that for many years due to my many sensitivities, so it really is not a major problem. But then, it is frustrating when a food I like starts using an ingredient I am sensitive to, and I guess many will find that happening to them as this switch occurs.

Cost

          “Also, a natural color costs about 10 times more to make than the synthetic version” (AP. How bugs). 

      But the candy industry and its most colorful chocolate treat, M&M’s, are a big obstacle standing between Mr. Kennedy and the ability to claim total victory.

      Other than Froot Loops cereal, perhaps no food carries as much symbolism as M&M’s for Mr. Kennedy and the movement he calls “Make America Healthy Again.” …

      As much as 19 percent of processed foods include synthetic dyes, and confectionary companies had the most products containing them, according to a study published in late June in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (NYT. Kennedy’s Battle).

      The problem with natural food colorings is not just what has been said before about availability and vibrancy of colors but also cost. It is easy to compare, as there are already natural versions of M&Ms available.

      One such alternative is Trader Joe’s Candy Coated Chocolate Drops. At Amazon, it costs $21.99 for two 8-ounce bags. That works out to $2.75/ ounce or $44/ pound. There’s also Unreal Chocolate Candy Coated. It costs $13.14 for a 6 oz bag, which works out to $2.19/ ounce or $35.04/ pound.

      Meanwhile, M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candy, Party Size, 38 oz Bag (Pack of 2) costs $29.78 or $0.39/ ounce or just $6.24/ pound. That is a huge difference. The Trader Joe’s product costs seven times as much and the Unreal product over 5-1/2 times as much.

      That is comparing a bulk product with a more normal sized product. It is not quite as much of a difference if you consider a smaller size for the M&Ms. At CVS, at 5-ounce bag of M&Ms costs $4.39 or $0.83/oz. That is $13.50/ pound. That’s over twice as much as the bulk product. But it still makes the Trader Joe’s product cost over three times as much and the Unreal product over 2-1/2 times as much.

      Maybe the M&Ms company can produce a natural alternative cheaper than these lesser known companies, but they will never be as inexpensive as they are now.

Conclusion

      I wrote an article about RFK Jr. last December (2024) before he became HHS Secretary (see RFK Jr. to Lead HHS: Will He Make America Healthy Again?) In it, I said that eliminating artificial food colorings “could lead to increased costs to consumers, in that the mentioned natural colorings are more expensive than the artificial ones” and we saw that in the preceding section.

      But I also stated doing so, “is significant in that people like me with sensitivities need to avoid artificial ingredients, and some believe such artificial ingredients contribute to autism, ADHD, and other health issues.”

      Thus, this trade-off has been known from the start. In the end, consumers will decide if the possible health benefits of eliminating artificial food colorings are worth the extra cost and other issues with natural food dyes.

This series will be continued in the next issue of FitTips for One and All with a look at other artificial food ingredients.

References:

      Listed in the order they are quoted in the article.

      Newsmax. Sen. Marshall to Newsmax: RFK Jr. Will Be ‘Game Changer’ as HHS Secretary.

      NYT. F.D.A. Bans Red Dye 3 in Foods, Linking It to Cancer in Rats.

      Women’s Health. Which foods contain Red 3 dye? What to be aware of after FDA ban, according to a food safety expert (via WTAE).

      NYT. Kennedy Rattles Food Companies With Vow to Rid Food of Artificial Dyes.

      CNN. What eliminating artificial food dyes could mean for the food system (via WTAE).

      AP. States move to ban or restrict use of synthetic dyes used in candies and cereal (via WTAE).

      CNN. Kraft Heinz will remove all artificial dyes from its foods by 2027 (via WTAE).

      RSBN. MAHA: Two American food companies to eliminate food dyes ahead of schedule.

      Newsmax. Smucker Moves to Stop Using Artificial Food Coloring.

      Postmillennial. RFK Jr WIN: In-and-Out ditches synthetic dyes for natural ones.

      AP. How bugs and beet juice could play roles in the race to replace artificial dyes in food (via WTAE).

      NYT. Kennedy’s Battle Against Food Dyes Hits a Roadblock: M&M’s.

      Health Day. FDA Approves Gardenia-Based Blue Food, Drink Dye (via Newsmax).

The Lord Stood By Me and Gave Me Strength

The Life and Legacy of Gary F. Zeolla;
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Available from Amazon in multiple formats for as little as $3.50.

Trump and RFK Jr. Overhaul U.S. Health Policy: Part One: Food Dyes. Copyright © 2025 By Gary F. Zeolla.

Disclaimers: The material presented in this article is intended for educational purposes only. The author is not offering medical or legal advice. Accuracy of information is attempted but not guaranteed. Before undertaking any diet, exercise, or health improvement program, one should consult your doctor. The author is in no way responsible or liable for any bodily harm, physical, mental, or emotional, that results from following any of the advice in this article.

The above article was posted on this site October 15, 2025.
It originally appeared in the free email newsletter FitTips for One and All.

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