Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he is looking forward to “seeing more businesses follow.”
Tyson Foods said on May 5 that it is working to eliminate the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in food production and hopes to complete this by the end of this month.
Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King made an announcement on a revenue call with investors, saying he is “actively reorganizing” food products containing all kinds of synthetic dyes.
King did not specify when this removal process would be completed, but noted that most Tyson Foods products, including chicken nuggets, already did not contain such dyes.
He added that none of the products offered through the school’s nutrition programmes contain synthetic oil-based dyes as ingredients.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised Tyson Foods for taking swift action in response to plans to phase out these types of dyes from the state’s food supply.
“We look forward to seeing more businesses pursue American health first. Together, we will once again bring America to health,” he wrote on social media platform X on May 5th.
On April 22, HHS and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they would revoke their permits for the two synthetic dyes (Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B), and are working with businesses to remove other dyes from food products by the end of 2026.
FDA Commissioner Marty McCurry has called on food companies to use natural ingredients instead, citing concerns about the potential impact of petrochemical dyes on children’s health.
“We have a new epidemic of childhood diabetes, obesity, depression and ADHD,” McCurry said in a statement. “Given the growing concerns among physicians and parents about the potential role of oil-based food dyes, we should not take risks and do everything possible to protect the health of our children.”
According to a 2021 report from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Protection Agency’s 2021 report, the study links artificial dyes to a variety of neurobehavioral issues.
According to the report, the number of American children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD has increased from an estimated 6.1% to 10.2% over the past 20 years.
In January, the FDA banned one of Red No. 3, one of the dyes from food to food. This cited a study that found rats exposed to high levels of the substance developed cancer, but said, “the use of (dye) in food and ingested drugs is not supported by the scientific information available to people.”
Previously, in March, Kennedy held a closed door meeting with executives from major food companies, including Tyson Foods, to discuss the removal of artificial dyes from food.
“They told us we were going to take some time,” Kennedy said in an interview with CBS released on April 9th. “And I said they all have to go out within two years.”
Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
