The Trump administration is moving to ban artificial oil-based food dyes from the country’s food supply, according to a Monday announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
HHS Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration Secretary Marty McCurry held a joint press conference in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, “announce plans to phase out the use of oil-based synthetic dyes in the country’s food supply.” announcement.
This action is part of Kennedy’s massive Make America Healthy (Maha) agenda. Kennedy’s rhetoric and political capital have long opposed what it considers as a toxic, oil-based artificial food dye.
The Trump administration plans to take action to remove oil-based artificial food dyes from the country’s food supply.
RFK Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary share more about plans for tomorrow.https://t.co/iv71eogckd
– Frank Luntz (@frankluntz) April 21, 2025
West Virginia became the first state to ban groups of synthetic dyes, including red 3, red 40, yellow 5, blue 1, blue 2 and green 3, when signed by Republican Patrick Morisei. HB 2354 Got to law in March. Inspired by the Kennedy and the Maha movement, Morrissey saw a secretary in West Virginia to sign the bill.
There are current laws in 28 states that seek to prohibit or regulate some form of synthetic food dye. According to To trackers built by the Environmental Working Group. Many state lawmakers called Kennedy or Maha directly in promoting the proposed reforms. (Related: RFK creates healthy movements in America that are shocking at the state level)
Consumption of synthetic food dyes is associated with brain development problems in children and increased risk of cancer. A review of human studies from the California Department of Environmental Health Hazards Assessment found that synthetic food dyes are “related to the adverse outcomes of neurological disorders in children.” According to Press release for 2021. The agency noted that the effects differ from child to child.
Red 3, which former President Joe Biden’s FDA banned in January, has been found to promote tumor growth when consumed in rats. However, the mechanism “does not occur in humans.” According to To the FDA.
A patchwork of regulations enacted at the state level is considered by critics as a result of federal government policies. “The FDA has failed to act multiple times when it comes to regulating potentially harmful food ingredients. Without federal action, the state has stepped up to protect consumers from harmful food chemicals,” the Environmental Working Group writes.
