Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. informed food industry representatives during a private meeting on Monday that he desires for them to eliminate
artificial color additives
By the conclusion of his term in office, according to a memo detailing the meeting that ABC News acquired, they aimed to have their items available.
During the meeting in Washington, where representatives from companies like Kellogg’s, Smucker’s, and General Mills were present, Kennedy highlighted that eliminating artificial dyes from American foods is a key objective for the Trump administration. This statement was recorded in a memo written by Melissa Hockstad, president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, a trade organization.
Hockstad directed the memorandum to “CEOs of Consumer Brand Members.”
Hockstad wrote that the Secretary emphasized his readiness to act should the industry not opt for being proactive with solutions,
Kennedy has been a strong advocate for eliminating artificial colorings from American cuisine, with this initiative becoming a cornerstone of the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign.
movement
.
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In January, the Food and Drug Administration took action.
revoked its authorization of one type of red food dye
— Red No. 3. This dye has been found to induce cancer in lab animals; however, it was permitted for use by producers for many years since experts did not think it increased the risk of cancer in humans when ingested at typical levels.
Following years of pressure from consumer advocacy groups, the FDA took action when President Joe Biden was in office.
However, a distinct variety, Red No. 40, continues to be available for purchase and has not undergone examination by the FDA in over two decades. Both the FDA and health authorities have stated that there is currently no proof indicating it poses harm; meanwhile, food producers maintain that they must depend on components deemed safe according to general consensus.
In the memo, Hockstad stated that her organization will collaborate with HHS officials to eliminate “obstacles,” enabling food businesses to assist in achieving Kennedy’s objective.
She noted that we will collaborate closely with your teams to achieve maximum agreement on our future approach and guarantee the industry is optimally poised as we proceed to the next stages. However, let this serve as a reminder that critical decisions must be made imminently.
MORE: RFK Jr. informs team he plans to ‘examine’ the childhood vaccination timeline and antidepressants.
A representative from the Consumer Brands Association verified the legitimacy of the letter, as initially reported by
Bloomberg
, yet didn’t offer additional remarks.
The spokesperson handed over a copy of the gratitude letter that Hockstad wrote to Kennedy following their meeting, as shared with ABC News.
She stated, ‘The sector is dedicated to providing safe, affordable, and convenient product alternatives to customers.’ We will collaborate with you and the administration to develop strategies that enhance transparency, guarantee ingredient assessments are based on scientific and risk-driven procedures, and expand healthier selections for consumers.’
An activist and the creator of Food Babe and Truvani, Vani Hari, submitted 400,000 petition signatures to Kellogg’s offices in Michigan last year, urging them to eliminate synthetic food coloring from their products. She expressed her approval of Kennedy’s stance on this issue.
“I’ve been tackling this problem for more than ten years, and I’m delighted Secretary Kennedy issued an ultimatum,” Hari stated to ABC News.
These food corporations have already modified their items to exclude artificial colorings in numerous nations; now, they should follow suit in the U.S. The people of America merit access to the same safer food options available elsewhere,” she went on to say.
