Latest news with #KraftMacAndCheese
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kraft Heinz to remove artificial dyes from products sold in U.S.
Kraft Heinz will remove artificial dyes from its products sold in the U.S. by the end of 2027, the company announced Tuesday. The multinational food company also said it will stop making new products that contain these dyes, effective immediately. Kraft Heinz, the manufacturer of foods such as Jell-O, Capri Sun and Kool-Aid, said in an online statement that 10% of its products contain the dyes and that it has invested in removing the colors or replacing them with natural colors. Kraft Heinz replaced artificial dyes in its Kraft Mac & Cheese product in 2016, while some other products, including Heinz Tomato Ketchup, have never had dyes, the company said. Kraft Heinz's announcement comes amid a push from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to root out artificial dyes from the nation's food supply and instead replace them with natural dyes. "The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we've been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C (Food, Drug & Cosmetic) colors across the remainder of our portfolio," said Pedro Navio, North America president at Kraft Heinz in the company's statement. Over 200 brands are manufactured by Kraft Heinz, which is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. CBS MoneyWatch reached out to Kraft Heinz to inquire which products in its portfolio still include artificial dyes but did not immediately hear back. The push to end synthetic dyes In April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the HHS asked the food industry to stop using synthetic food dyes. "For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent," Kennedy said at the time. The agencies, however, have stopped short of introducing an all-out ban — something Kennedy floated as part of his "Make America Healthy Again" platform while on the campaign trail. The FDA currently allows 36 food color additives, including eight synthetic dyes. The dyes are used heavily in U.S. products, although certain states, including California and West Virginia, have enacted bans to restrict their use. FDA commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference in April the agency is working to eliminate synthetic dyes by the end of 2026, although whether that happens will depend on voluntary efforts from the food industry. Meet the NYC dad who won the Pedro Pascal look-alike contest Exclusive discounts from CBS Mornings Deals Can Israel's strikes stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons?
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Five iconic American food and drink brands set for major change as RFK Jr sets his sights on cancer dyes
The company behind some of America's most iconic foods has announced a major recipe overhaul that may leave some of your favorite snacks looking a little different. Kraft Heinz, the company behind Kraft Mac and Cheese and Heinz ketchup, announced it will remove artificial colors from its products by 2027. Products that currently use these dyes include Kool Aid, Crystal Light, MiO, Jet-Puffed marshmallows and Jell-O. Kraft Heinz, which said nearly 90 percent of its US products are already free of artificial colors or synthetic dyes, also pledged it would not launch any new products with artificial colors in the US effective immediately. Used in the American food supply for decades to give treats an appealing hue, in recent years concerns have been raised over the health effects of food dyes - including animal studies suggesting they can cause hyperactivity, cancer and other health problems. The move from Kraft Heinz comes after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr outlined plans to ban synthetic food dyes from the US food supply as part of a broader move to address chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Many packaged food companies, including W.K. Kellogg and Tyson Foods have been working on reformulating existing products and introducing new items without artificial dyes. Earlier this month, Walmart-owned Sam's Club said it would eliminate over 40 ingredients, including artificial colors and aspartame, from its private label brand Member's Mark, by the end of this year. Kraft Heinz said that for the small portion of products that currently contain artificial colors it plans to remove the dyes where they are not critical, or replace them with natural colors. The Jell-O maker added it would also look to reinvent products with new colors where a matching natural replacement is not available. It said the company was also working with its brand licensees to encourage them to remove artificial colors as well. Commenting on the move, the company's North America president Pedro Navio said: 'As a food company with a 150+ year heritage, we are continuously evolving our recipes, products, and portfolio to deliver superiority to consumers and customers. 'The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we've been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio. 'In fact, we removed artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors from our beloved Kraft Mac & Cheese back in 2016. 'Our iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup has never had artificial dyes – the red color comes simply from the world's best tomatoes. 'Above all, we are focused on providing nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting food for Americans and this is a privilege we don't take lightly.' Health advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing studies indicating they can cause neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and attention issues, in children. The FDA has maintained that the approved dyes are safe and that 'the totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives.' The FDA currently allows 36 food color additives, including eight synthetic dyes. In January, the agency announced that the dye known as Red 3 — used in candies, cakes and some medications — would be banned in food by 2027 because it caused cancer in laboratory rats. Artificial dyes are used widely in US foods, but in Canada and Europe — where synthetic colors are required to carry warning labels — manufacturers mostly use natural substitutes. Several states, including California and West Virginia, have passed laws restricting the use of artificial colors in foods. FDA Commissioner Dr Marty Makary announced in April that the agency will phase out the use of eight artificial food dyes in America's food supply within the next two years. The massive shakeup will free children from the 'toxic soup' that makes up much of America's food supply, Dr Makary said. Dr Makary, a trained surgeon, began his remarks by calling attention to an oft-cited review in The Lancet, which reported ties between artificial food dyes and hyperactivity in children. 'So why are we taking a gamble,' Makary said. The Trump administration will ask food companies to phase out the use of Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3 by the end of 2026 and start using natural alternatives, which the FDA will approve or deny first. The move is not legally binding and companies do not have to comply. 'For companies that are currently using petroleum based red dye, try watermelon juice or beet juice,' Makary said, lifting small bottles of juice off his podium. 'For companies currently combining petroleum-based yellow chemical and red dyes together, try carrot juice.' The latest proposal also revokes approval for two dyes, citrus red 2 and orange B, which are not as common as the other dyes. The FDA has not reached any formal agreement with the food industry to carry out these goals, though they apparently have 'an understanding,' and the agency has not put forward a detailed plan for achieving them.
CNN
4 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Kraft Heinz will remove all artificial dyes from its foods, complying with RFK Jr.'s demands
Food giant Kraft Heinz will remove all artificial colors from its brands as synthetic food dyes face renewed scrutiny from consumers and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s US Department of Health and Human Services. The maker of Kraft Mac & Cheese, Heinz ketchup, Jell-O, Capri-Sun and other brands announced Tuesday that it will remove synthetic food coloring from all of its foods sold in the United States by the end of 2027. The company also said it will not release any new US foods with artificial dyes. 'The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we've been on a journey to reduce our use of (artificial) colors across the remainder of our portfolio,' Pedro Navio, Kraft Heinz's North America president, said in a news release. The company removed artificial colors from Kraft Mac & Cheese in 2016. Kraft Heinz is one of the first US packaged food companies to commit to removing artificial dyes from its brands. The move may push rivals to speed up efforts to phase out artificial coloring. The US Food and Drug Administration currently permits the use of several petroleum-based synthetic dyes in food. They are often used to make food and beverages brightly colored and appealing to customers, especially children. But these additives, which governments and nonprofit organizations have long raised concerns over, are facing fresh US government scrutiny due to the potential negative effects on animal and human health — including a possible increased risk of cancer and neurobehavioral issues in some children. The FDA banned the use of red dye No. 3 in food, beverages and ingested drugs in January. In April, the agency announced plans to work with industry to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the US food supply over the next several years. Kennedy at the time called the dyes 'poisonous compounds.' Kraft Heinz is probably trying to get ahead of state and federal bans on artificial coloring in food. California, Virginia and West Virginia have banned artificial dyes, and more than half of US states, led by both Democrats and Republicans, are seeking to ban dyes and some other additives from foods, according to Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental health organization. The company is also facing direct pressure from Kennedy, who reportedly met with executives from Kraft Heinz, General Mills and other food companies to call on them to remove artificial dyes before the end of his term. Kennedy has 'made clear his intention to take action unless the industry is willing to be proactive with solutions,' according to an email seen by Bloomberg. Kraft Heinz's move comes as the company struggles to keep up with consumer tastes and weighs a major shakeup to its business. Many of Kraft Heinz's brands, such as Lunchables and Capri-Sun, have fallen out of favor with customers seeking healthier choices. Kraft Heinz's sales dropped 6.4% last quarter. Last month, the company said it was evaluating strategic changes and potential transactions. Kraft Heinz said two directors representing Berkshire Hathaway would step down from its board, meaning Warren Buffett's company will no longer hold seats. Berkshire helped engineer the 2015 merger between Kraft Foods and HJ Heinz that created the company. Kraft Heinz in recent years has sold off Planters and its US natural cheese business to simplify its business. Analysts believe the latest announcement is a signal that the company may unload other brands or seek to merge with a rival. CNN's Kristen Rogers contributed to this article.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Major Kraft Mac And Cheese Recall That Went International
The equivalent of roughly 19.5 million bowls of Kraft macaroni and cheese were recalled because the product was unsafe to eat back in 2015. Single boxes, as well as 3-, 4-, and 5-packs, of dried noodles and powdered cheese, unfortunately, also potentially contained stray pieces of metal. The unwanted addition ended up in the boxes of mac because of a machinery issue; it was found that two pieces of stainless steel were rubbing against each other in a piece of equipment, which caused metal fragments to fall into the food. This recall included a total of 6.5 million boxes across countries in South America and the Caribbean, such as Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and the Virgin Islands, as well as the continental United States and Puerto Rico. Obviously, accidentally ingesting metal could be very serious, and eight people did discover pieces in their boxes of mac. However, there were no reports of any injuries or illnesses related to the foreign object contamination. Read more: Discontinued Costco Grocery Products We Probably Won't Get Back As strange as it sounds, foreign objects — like the stray metal in the aforementioned boxes of Kraft mac and cheese — are among the most common reasons that foods are recalled. As such, this was not the only time Kraft had issues with inedible items in its products. There have actually been a number of Kraft Food recalls that affected millions, including one that had to do with a Kraft Singles choking hazard. Because of a packaging snafu in September 2023, the plastic film covering each piece of processed cheese failed to come off in one fell swoop in some cases. The strip of plastic that was left behind on the slices caused gagging and, in some cases, choking, but there were no reports of serious injuries or illnesses. You would think that the company would figure out a way to avoid this issue, but this has actually been a recurring recall. After the metal mac and cheese incident in March 2015, Kraft Singles were recalled for the very same plastic film issue in both July and September. When it came to food safety, 2015 wasn't a great year, both for the Kraft Company and lovers of processed American cheese products. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
