RFK Jr. and FDA Move to Purge Toxic Food Dyes from American Diet in Sweeping Reform

Edited by: TJVNews.com

In a bold step toward reshaping the American food landscape, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary unveiled a sweeping initiative Tuesday to eliminate eight petroleum-based synthetic food dyes long-embedded in the U.S. food supply. As reported by The New York Post, this unprecedented move aims to confront what Kennedy termed a “toxic soup” of chemicals saturating everyday products, especially those consumed by children.

At a press conference held at the HHS headquarters in Washington, Kennedy and Makary announced that the FDA will revoke authorization for two of the most controversial synthetic dyes — Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B — while collaborating with major food companies to phase out six other artificial dyes commonly found in candy, soda, snacks, and even hot dog casings.

“For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,” Makary declared during the April announcement, according to The New York Post. The move, he said, signals a long-overdue shift in the FDA’s tolerance for artificial additives in processed foods.

The Eight Dyes Targeted for Elimination

The eight dyes subject to removal include:

Citrus Red No. 2: Applied to the skin of Florida oranges not meant for juicing.

Orange B: Used exclusively in hot dog and sausage casings, with research suggesting potential liver and bile duct damage at high doses.

Red No. 3: Approved in 1907 and used in baked goods and confections, this dye has been linked to carcinogenicity and behavioral disturbances.

Red No. 40 (Allura Red AC): Common in NyQuil, Kool-Aid, and Starburst, it adds a deep red hue to processed products.

Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine): Often found in Mountain Dew and Twinkies.

Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow FCF): Adds a yellow-orange tint to Lucky Charms and Airheads.

Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF): Found in M&Ms and Takis.

Blue No. 2 (Indigo Carmine): Used in items like blueberry Pop-Tarts and Skittles.

Each of these dyes is derived from petroleum, a fact that Kennedy highlighted as fundamentally incompatible with safe human consumption. “If they want to eat petroleum, they ought to add it themselves at home,” he said. “But they shouldn’t be feeding it to the rest of us without our knowledge or consent,” he told The New York Post.

As part of the initiative, the FDA will work with manufacturers to shift toward natural alternatives. According to the report in The New York Post, the agency intends to approve at least four natural dyes in the coming weeks and expedite the review of additional organic substitutes. Among the suggestions floated by Makary: replacing Red No. 40 with watermelon juice and swapping synthetic yellow-red blends for carrot juice.

Makary pointed to studies, including a highly cited one in The Lancet, that associate artificial dyes with an alarming array of health concerns: hyperactivity in children, obesity, gastrointestinal distress, allergies, and even cancer. “There’s shockingly few studies, even on food dyes,” Kennedy emphasized. “All of these industries cast a dark shadow historically over this agency, and we are now systematically eliminating the conflicts that allowed them to suppress the science.”

Despite not having a formal regulatory agreement in place, Kennedy reported that leading food and beverage corporations have shown unexpected willingness to cooperate. “Executives have been calling us almost every day,” he told The New York Post. “They want to do it.” Makary echoed this optimism: “You win more bees with honey than fire,” he said, explaining the FDA’s decision to begin with collaboration over confrontation.

Still, the FDA has not ruled out regulatory action. “We are exploring every tool in the toolbox to make sure this gets done very quickly,” Makary said.

Red No. 3, in particular, is under urgent scrutiny. The previous phase-out deadline of 2027-2028 may be accelerated, reflecting concerns over its carcinogenic potential and impact on child behavior. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will also begin new research to deepen understanding of how food additives influence children’s neurological and physiological health.

The phase-out of petroleum-based food dyes marks the first major offensive in Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda, according to The New York Post. Modeled on the sweeping ambition of past public health campaigns, the initiative aims to root out toxic ingredients, improve food labeling, and encourage health-conscious consumer behavior.

Among his planned reforms, Kennedy proposes the creation of an “open-source website” to house government-vetted information on every additive in the American food chain. He also intends to push for stricter labeling requirements and aims, controversially, to reduce or eliminate added sugar in packaged foods. “Sugar is poison,” Kennedy told The New York Post. “There’s things that we’ll never be able to eliminate, like sugar. But Americans need to know that.”

MAHA has quickly garnered a vocal following. Prominent health experts and conservative activists alike applauded the food dye announcement. “If a foreign nation was doing to our children what we are doing in America, we’d go to war to protect them,” said Dr. Mark Hyman, a bestselling author on chronic illness.

Kennedy was joined at the press event by several self-styled “MAGA moms,” grassroots activists who’ve become prominent figures in the conservative health reform movement. Their presence underscored the political resonance of Kennedy’s crusade — one that spans ideological lines by invoking both parental concern and nationalist rhetoric.

The implications of Kennedy’s initiative are vast. While some food companies have begun reformulating recipes to align with consumer demand for clean labels, most American grocery store shelves still bristle with chemical-laden, brightly colored products.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, who was recently the butt of a weight-related jab from Kennedy, nevertheless praised the new policy initiative. “I want to get the crap out of our food and improve the quality of school meals,” Morrisey said. “They deserve real food, not chemical shortcuts designed to fool the eye but harm the body.”

With the FDA and HHS now steering the nation away from petroleum-based additives, Kennedy’s next battles may prove even more contentious. Pharmaceutical additives, endocrine disruptors, and hidden sugars are all on his radar. But the phase-out of artificial dyes, according to The New York Post, signals that Kennedy’s vision for a healthier America is already in motion.

In a country where the color of candy can be a political statement and a public health crisis simultaneously, the dye is not only cast — it’s fading fast.