Leaving 8 synthetic dyes in America’s food

Today, the FDA banned Red No. 3 from all food, drinks and medicine taken. Companies must remove red no. 3 from their products by January 2027. While this is a step in the right direction, there are still eight artificial colors approved for human consumption. What are they, which foods contain them and what are the health risks to humans? Which companies use or manufacture these harmful additives? Will an RFK Jr. confirmation bring more control to America’s food supply?

Food color background

For decades, food companies have added synthetic dyes to their products to make them more visually appealing. Today, there is growing evidence that many of these artificial colors are dangerous to your health. As pressure mounts to make foods more nutritious and as consumers make healthier choices, some companies may experience reduced profits, which could affect their share price. More on that in a moment.

Most artificial food colors use petroleum-based chemicals called dyes, which have been linked to numerous health conditions. According to Consumer Reports, 8 of the 42 different synthetic dyes, and after today’s ban, are still approved for human consumption. Over 90% of candy, fruit-flavored snacks and drink mixes contain one or more of these harmful ingredients. Before today, there were nine synthetic dyes approved for human consumption (see the table below).

Many of these dyes, banned in other countries, are still part of the US food supply. According to ewg.org, three of the dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 make up about 90% of all food coloring used in the United States. Some of the risks of synthetic dyes include cancer, hyperactivity, ADHD and other disorders. Children and individuals with certain health conditions may be particularly venerable. According to multiple sources, General Mills pledged in June 2015 to remove all artificial colors from Trix and Lucky Charms by the end of 2016. Kellogg pledged to eliminate all artificial colors by 2019. Both companies continue to use synthetic dyes.

Popular foods with dyes and the companies behind them

In general, foods or drinks with bright colors are likely to contain harmful dyes. Here are three companies that use synthetic dyes in their products. Mars Company is privately held, so their shares are not publicly traded. Mars makes Skittles which include Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6 and Blue 1. Mars also makes M&Ms with Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake and Blue 2. Another Mars product with dyes is their Starburst brand, which contains Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1.

Publicly traded stocks include General Mills and Kellogg’s. General Mills makes Trix cereal with Red 40, Yellow 6, and Blue 1. The company also makes Lucky Charms with Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1. Finally, Kellogg’s makes Froot Loops and Apple Jacks. Both products contain red 40, yellow 5, blue 1 and yellow 6.

Top companies that manufacture synthetic dyes

Which companies are involved in the manufacture of synthetic dyes? According to verifiedmarkets.com, three of the top 10 companies are listed in the US. They are Sensient Technologies Corporation (SXT), Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), and DowDuPont (DOW). I contacted each one to ask what percentage of sales come from foods with synthetic dyes, but have not received a response.

With today’s ban on Red 3 and the potential for an RFK nomination, other synthetic dyes may be in the crosshairs of the FDA. As America’s eating and drinking habits continue to evolve toward healthier choices, companies will be forced to adapt or lose sales. In short, the healthy food trend could bring significant regulatory changes to the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries.