Key dishes to remember
- The Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., proposed a ban on many food dyes.
- Many foods, including cereals, fruits, sausages and condiments, will be affected.
- In the meantime, you should not fear these food dyes, says a dietitian.
Earlier this year, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced the ban on red dietary dye n ° 3, which is commonly found in candies, grocery bakery products, gum vitamins and various cereal and dessert products. Since then, states such as Arizona, UTAH, Virginia and Virginia-Western have adopted laws prohibiting other synthetic food colors from schools.
But during a press conference this week, the Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., made this initiative further. He announced that the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the FDA will begin to deploy a prohibition of the following synthetic food dyes: red n ° 40, yellow n ° 5, yellow n ° 6, blue n ° 1, blue n ° 2, green n ° 3, citrus red 2 and orange b.
These dyes are not only found in candies or snacks – there are products, dairy products, meat and other surprising products that will be affected by this new legislation. But before going through affected foods, you may be wondering if you should worry or avoid these foods with synthetic dyes while waiting. Our editor in terms of senior nutrition Jessica Ball, MS, RD has an answer which, hopefully, will facilitate your nerves.
“Although there is research on the health effects of food dyes, it is limited and often done on animals rather than humans. “There are several other things supported by evidence that is linked to positive results for health, such as a balanced global diet, regular physical activity, stress management, quality sleep and access to healthy foods. These are things that I would recommend concentrating rather than focusing on the avoidance of food dyes. ”
That said, here are the unexpected foods that can start to be a little different if or when the prohibition on the food dye is fully indeed.
10 foods that will be different without food dyes
1. Cereal
Although it is not necessarily shocking that cereals like lucky charms and Froot curls contain food colors like red n ° 40, blue n ° 1 and yellow n ° 5, the quantity of cereals on the market with these dyes is surprising. Cereals such as fruity pebbles, Trix, fruity cheerios, apple crips and Cap’n Crunch crunch will have to look for new ways to create vibrant shades without affected colors.
2. Salad clothes
Have you ever wondered what ingredient gives the French cream vinaigrette in Kraft its classic orange tone? It is yellow n ° 5 and yellow n ° 6, which are included in the prohibition. The classic Catalina vinaigrette of Kraft also has red n ° 40 and blue n ° 1 – but whether they are dyed or without coloring, we prefer to make dressing at home to beautify our green vegetables anyway.
3. Saucisse
Did you know that some hot dogs and sausage boxes are tested synthetically with o orange B? It makes sense when you think about it, but if your ball ball meal of the park is starting to be a little different during the 2027 season, do not fear: it is just without coloring.
4. Oranges
Yes, even our fruits are affected by coloring prohibitions. The external skin of Florida oranges is generally dyed with red citrus fruits 2 to give the fruit that the summer light glow. And there is a reason for that.
“It is common to color orange skins in certain orange growth areas of the country due to climatic or cultural conditions which cause the maturity of oranges while being green,” notes the FDA. Consequently, all the oranges on the market meet maturity standards for sale, but some are dyed to be more attractive to the consumer’s eye. Do not be afraid if you see green oranges once the prohibition of coloring has entered into force.
5. canned vegetables
Canned vegetables can be a healthy and favorable means of a budget to include more fibers on your plate. It is important to know that your canned peas may not be so green once the food color n ° 1 is removed from the retail. But don’t worry; They will be just as nutritious and have the same taste.
6. Fruit preserved
On a similar note, fruit products preserved such as jams, frosts and marmelades can have various dyes depending on the fruit. In addition, dried fruits such as papaya, mango, kiwi and more can contain food colors such as yellow n ° 5, yellow n ° 6 or blue n ° 1.
7. Yogurt
It is not only the yogurt sold in children who use food colors. Brands like Dannon Light + Fit and Yoplait perfect the shade of their yogurt with red n ° 40, blue n ° 1 or yellow n ° 6. You can see that the color of your light Yoplait in strawberry or the light of key lime + of Greek yogurt can be attenuated in the near future.
8. Mixtures of drinks and electrolytic drinks
Various flavors of Gatorade, Powerade and Pedialyte have dyes like red n ° 40 and blue n ° 1 on their ingredient lists. But something that you may not consider is that the powders of drinks arranged in water such as the sun, country time, 4C, Kool-Aid and crystal light all contain food colors to raise the appearance of your sip. It may be more difficult to know when they are completely dissolved once they are colorless, so give it an additional jolt or stir before tasting.
9. Seans
Certain mixtures of seasoning, including the seasoning of lemon and pepper from Great Value, draw their color from the dietary dye, so that the color will become deeper in your kitchen once removed. But including fresh lemon, like slices on top of our pepper salmon with grilled lemon highly rated in aluminum foil, will help keep your dish vibrant.
10. Condiments and sauces
In addition to the vinaigrette, the door of your refrigerator can take a blow after the prohibition of the food dye. The high -value cocktail sauce and the sweet relish of Vlasic are only two popular examples which use dyes like red n ° 40 and yellow n ° 5, respectively.
The bottom line
There are a lot of food on the market that contains dyes, but there are no significant data that shows that these dyes cause a kind of body pain. Unless it is a personal preference, it is not necessary to avoid these dyes until the prohibition, but do not forget that your grocery store can have a different shade when these food dyes are removed from the ingredients.
“As a dietitian and healthcare professional recorded, I think that one of the most important things that food policy can do is increase access to healthy foods for all,” says Ball. “This allows people to more easily meet their nutritional needs, to be fueled for regular exercise, to feed their families and more. Things like food access and accessible nutritional support are much more impactful and beneficial for health than to avoid food dyes. ”
