Same cereals. Same sweet taste. Different shades.
A box of loot loops sold in the United States contains lively rings of red, orange, green, purple, yellow and blue – neon colors derived from synthetic dyes, such as red n ° 40, yellow n ° 5, blue n ° 1 and yellow n ° 6. In a box sold in Canada, the colored rings obtain more bladder shadows from blueberries and Hugues, with an Amazonian fruit. And not a single one is blue.
The manufacturer of the two countries, WK Kellogg, formerly known as Kellogg Company, can clearly make Froot loops without synthetic dyes. The question is: do things and other large food companies adopt the approach in the United States? And consumers, noted on coloring cereals, flame -colored nacho chips and neon -blue sports drinks consume these foods if they are a little more … beige?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services, wants them to do it. Tuesday, Mr. Kennedy, who has long criticized the artificial dyes used in Froot loops and other foods processed as part of a larger food system which, according to him, contributes to chronic diseases and poor health, announced that it had reached a “understanding” with the main manufacturers of food to eliminate food coloring commonly used with oil from 2026.
The meaning of “an understanding” remains clear. No food company has attended the press conference, and few have declared that they would remove synthetic colors, which the Food and Drug Administration currently allows. But a change can happen. This week, citing the expected demand of consumers, the Pepsico drinks giant, which also makes Doritos and Lay crustles, said that it would eliminate synthetic colors or offer consumers natural colors in the next two years.
Mr. Kennedy may hopes that the use of his unit as a head of the agency who supervises the FDA will be sufficient to push large food companies to change their tracks. They have already responded to the pressure. About ten years ago, a number of companies tried to switch to natural colors. More specifically, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese have successfully reproduced its characteristic orange noodles by going into turmeric and paprika. But other companies have had trouble. Some returned to synthetic dyes after falling sales.
