(FOX 9) – As part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, he announced a sweeping plan to phase out artificial dyes from the U.S. food supply.
Calls on industry to stop dye use
The backstory:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned Red 3 earlier this year. The agency had pointed to studies showing cancer risk in animals.
Now, health officials say they would like to see companies stop using the eight synthetic food colorings that are currently allowed by the FDA. The list includes Citrus Red No. 2, Orange B, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Green 3.
Instead, they are recommending replacing petroleum-based colors with natural alternatives by as early as next year.
According to information shared by the National Library of Medicine, artificial dyes in America are commonly found in breakfast cereals, candy, snacks, beverages and vitamins.
What they’re saying:
“Americans don’t know what they’re eating, and they don’t know the implications of those things,” said Kennedy on Tuesday. “If they want to eat petroleum. They ought to add it themselves at home, but they shouldn’t be feeding it to the rest of us.”
“American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals. The scientific community has conducted a number of studies raising concerns about the correlation between petroleum-based synthetic dyes and several health conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, cancer, genomic disruption, GI issues, which I’ve seen in the hospital,” said Dr. Marty Makary, FDA Commissioner.
The other side:
Critics of this announcement said research showing direct correlation to health impact in humans is limited. Some critics also say color additives have been highly regulated.
What’s next:
The specifics of how this roll-out will happen – in terms of any regulatory measures or a more official ban – have not been announced yet.
The Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Secretary, Associated Press
HealthDonald J. TrumpMinnesotaPoliticsFood and Drink
