General Mills has pledged to eliminate all FD&C artificial dyes from its U.S. product portfolio within the next two years, joining a growing list of food giants responding to government pressure to phase out synthetic color additives.
The company said it will remove certified colors from all its US cereals and K-12 school food offerings by summer 2026, with the remainder of its US retail portfolio following by the end of 2027.
The commitment comes as part of a broader industry shift following calls from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the FDA to eliminate petroleum-based dyes from the food supply.
Currently, 85% of General Mills’ US retail products already contain no artificial color additives, and most school offerings are free from FD&C dyes.
“Today, the vast majority of our foods are made without certified colors, and we’re working to ensure that will soon apply to our full portfolio,” said CEO Jeff Harmening.
The announcement came the same day Kraft Heinz made a similar pledge, and follows McCormick’s earlier efforts to reformulate its products in response to regulatory and consumer concerns.
The FDA has approved seven certified food color additives, but recent scrutiny, especially of Red No. 3, which was linked to cancer in animals, has spurred efforts to phase out dyes including Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Blue No. 1. Food manufacturers have been asked to voluntarily comply with phase-out targets by 2027 and 2028.
Kennedy has sharply criticised the use of synthetic dyes in US foods, calling them “poisonous compounds” with no nutritional value that may harm children’s development.
The FDA says imported foods will also be subject to compliance with the new standards.
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