Tag Archives: artificial dyes

Making Hot Fudge Sundaes Healthier

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I love hot fudge sundaes–preferably with whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry. It looks like some upcoming changes in ice cream manufacturing will make my hot fudge sundae more healthy (at least a little more). There have already been changes in how the cherry on top of the sundae is colored–many manufacturers of cherries use red dye No. 3, which they must discontinue using by Jan. 15, 2027

On Monday, Investing.com reported:

U.S. ice cream makers are reportedly looking to eliminate several artificial colors from their products by 2028, a push following Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance to remove artificial additives from food.

This is part of Kennedy Jr’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative to eliminate six petroleum-based food dyes by 2026, aiming to replace them with natural alternatives.

According to a Bloomberg report, citing the International Dairy Foods Association, a group of 40 producers, collectively responsible for more than 90% of the ice cream sold in the U.S. by volume, have pledged to remove synthetic colors voluntarily.

Several publicly traded U.S. companies produce ice cream, such as Unilever (LON:ULVR) (UL), which owns household names like Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, and Talenti; General Mills (NYSE:GIS) which operates Häagen-Dazs in the U.S.; and Nestlé, through its Froneri joint venture, manages brands like Dreyer’s and Edy’s.

Obviously, ice cream is not going to become a health food, but this is definitely a move in the right direction. It is encouraging to me to see America taking steps to remove questionable substances from our food supply. I may not agree with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., on everything, but I think he has the right idea about cleaning up America’s food supply.

Making America Healthy Again

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On Wednesday, The Daily Caller posted an article about some coming changes to the food that America eats.

The article reports:

Major food brand General Mills will remove all artificial dyes from its products by 2027, the company announced Tuesday.

The company also announced plans to remove “certified colors” from all of its American cereal brands and all of its products in school lunches by summer 2026, they said in a press release.

Foodbev.com has further details:

Food giants Kraft Heinz and General Mills have this week announced they will commit to removing artificial colours from all of their US food products by the end of 2027.

The announcements come amid increasing scrutiny of artificial dyes and other synthetic food additives in the US, with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr calling on all major food companies in the country to remove the dyes from their products by the end of his term in 2029.

This aligns with Kennedy’s Make America Health Again agenda, seeking to address chronic health issues by reforming dietary practices. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already banned the use of the synthetic Red Dye 3 after it was linked to cancer in laboratory rats. Other synthetic colours have been linked to potential adverse health effects, such as hyperactivity in children, fuelling growing concerns over their use.

The article at foodbev.com concludes:

Jeff Harmening, chairman and CEO of General Mills, said: “Across the long arc of our history, General Mills has moved quickly to meet evolving consumer needs, and reformulating our product portfolio to remove certified colours is yet another example”.

He added: “Knowing the trust families place in us, we are leading the way on removing certified colours in cereals and K-12 foods by next summer. We’re committed to continuing to make food that tastes great and is accessible to all.”

The company has made several moves to enhance the health of its offerings in recent years, including addressing sugar reduction, doubling vitamin D in its cereals by 2023 and reducing sodium by 20% across key product categories since 2019.

This is good news for all of us.