Latest news with #KraftMacandCheese
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Kraft Heinz Announces Major Change To All Of Their Products Coming Soon
Changes are coming to your favorite Kraft Heinz products. The food company announced Tuesday it will no longer launch any new food products in the U.S. that contain Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors. The company will also remove synthetic colors from all of its existing U.S. products by the end of 2027. '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,' says Pedro Navio, North America President at Kraft Heinz. Nearly 90 percent of its U.S. products are already free of FD&C colors. The company removed artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives from its popular Kraft Mac and Cheese in 2016, and its Heinz Tomato Ketchup has never contained artificial dyes. The company says it will remove colors from any products where their absence will not affect consumer experience, replace artificial colors with natural colors, or create new colors when a natural replacement isn't available. Since dyes are used to enhance the color of foods, their removal will not affect the taste of your favorite products. '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,' Navio says. FD&C colors such as Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 5, and Red No. 3 are synthetic color additives approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create consistent, vibrant colors in food, drug, and cosmetic products. The FDA revoked the use of Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs in January, phasing out its use by January 15, 2027. In April, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called for the removal of artificial dyes in U.S. foods. Kraft Heinz says it is continually evolving its recipes and product line to improve nutritional profiles, such as reducing sugar, salt, and saturated fat in more than 1,000 products. It is also encouraging licensees of its brands to remove artificial colors from their products as well. In addition to Kraft and Heinz, the company owns a variety of brands including Jell-O, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Capri Sun, Kool-Aid, Lunchables, and more. Read the original article on Southern Living
USA Today
4 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Kraft Heinz will remove all artificial dyes from its food
Kraft Heinz, manufacturer of beloved food and drink products from the classic Kraft Mac and Cheese and Heinz ketchup to Kool-Aid and Jell-O, will eliminate the use of all artificial dyes in its products by the end of 2027, the company announced Tuesday. In a June 17 press release, the company said "nearly" 90% of its products were already free of Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors, also known as artificial or synthetic food dyes, and that it would be removing them from the remaining 10% of its products. The manufacturer also said it would not launch any new products using the dyes, effective immediately. The FD&C dyes in question have been and still are allowed for use in food and drink products under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines. However, an announcement from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr in April indicated the agency is looking to revoke the approval of at least eight "petroleum-based synthetic dyes" in favor of "natural alternatives." Before the end of 2027, Kraft Heinz intends to replace the dyes with natural alternatives or "reinvent" new colors and shades for products where natural replacement color matches are not available. "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,' Pedro Navio, North America President at Kraft Heinz, said in a statement. '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." Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Kennedy praised the move on a June 17 post to X, formerly Twitter, saying this "voluntary step" will phase out "harmful dyes" in brands like Kool-Aid, Jell-O and Crystal Light. Are food dyes getting banned in the US?: What know to about 8 dyes being phased out Is the US banning artificial food dyes? The FDA announced on April 22 that it will "phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation's food supply" by the end of 2026. The dyes have previously been allowed under FDA regulations and oversight. The targeted additives include Red Dye 40, Yellow Dye 5, Yellow Dye 6, Blue Dye 1, Blue Dye 2, Green Dye 3, Citrus Red 2 and Orange B. No formal agreement or legislation was passed officially banning the substances. Instead, HHS and the FDA have a "mutual understanding" with the food industry that the dyes will be progressively removed, Kennedy said at the time. During an April 22 press conference, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency intends to revoke the approval of some dyes for use and work with industry leaders to substitute petrochemical dyes with "natural" ones. A press statement released by the FDA also said it plans to establish a "national standard and timeline for the transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives." The FDA will authorize four new natural color additives and expedite the approval of more, according to its statement. The agency will also partner with the National Institutes of Health to research the effect food additives have on children's health and development. Other companies promise to eliminate artificial dyes Several major food and beverage companies have recently announced their plans to remove ingredients in the wake of the April HHS announcement. At an April 24 earnings call, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company's transition away from artificial colors was underway, with more than 60 percent of its business already in compliance. Popular snack brands under its portfolio like Lays, Doritos and Tostitos, will stop using artificial colors by the end of the year under the directive. Tyson Foods made a similar promise in May, telling Reuters it was "proactively reformulating" products to eliminate the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of the month. Mars, Inc., the producer of Skittles, also announced in late May that it would be removing titanium dioxide from the colorful candy.
CBC
12-04-2025
- General
- CBC
No goulash? Some parents lukewarm to N.S. school lunch program
Since the launch of Nova Scotia's school lunch program last September, the Education Department has received hundreds of submissions from parents raising concerns about things such as food quality and safety, what ingredients are used in the dishes and whether the meal options cater to specific diets. The forms are contained in a 212-page document CBC News obtained through a freedom of information request that has anywhere from one to three entries per page. Parents submitted the forms through the lunch program's website. The pay-what-you-can program has served more than two million meals since September. Families can pay the full $6.50 cost of the lunch, part of that price or nothing at all. "My child is trying new foods at his school with his friends and is loving it!" wrote one parent. "The pictures being displayed on your ordering system help him pick out what he is willing to try each week. We appreciate this being offered to all students and it makes nutritional choices fun for all, regardless of income." That message was an outlier, though, with most focusing on frustrations and ways that parents think the program can be improved. "The food is often cold, with portions that are either too small or unappetizingly thrown together," wrote one parent. "Some days, the meals have included limp vegetables, barely recognizable entrees, and overripe fruit that's almost inedible. "It's frustrating to see that instead of enhancing their day and supporting their health, this program has fallen short in delivering even the basics of a decent meal." Amanda Northcott, who leads the school lunch program for the Education Department, said they get a lot of positive feedback from parents. She said the number of submissions through the online portal has fallen 68 per cent since the program's launch. "We are really looking at that feedback with an eye for continuous improvement in the program and what we can do to kind of make the menu acceptable for students, keep the menu nutritious and really kind of try to meet as many children's needs and preferences as we can," Northcott said. She said the fact they've received only a few hundred submissions relative to the number of meals served shows the program is well received. In the documents provided to CBC, details such as the names of the people who wrote the messages, their email addresses and the school their child attends were redacted, so it's impossible to tell whether anybody wrote multiple emails. Food quality concerns One parent wrote that children are coming home every day with complaints about mouldy fruit and food that was overcooked and smelled like cigarettes. For one parent, macaroni and cheese offered on the first day of the program at their child's school had them concerned about what the quality of future meals would be like. "I'm not trying to be mean but boxed Kraft Mac and Cheese honestly looks gourmet by comparison," the parent wrote. One parent said their kid would eat anything, but the food quality left their child upset. "Anyone who promises a kid cheese pizza and serves them an untoasted English muffin with mushrooms should have a long hard look in the mirror," the parent wrote. Chicken taco conundrum Food safety issues are another popular topic, with one day's offering of chicken tacos prompting some parents to write in. They said the tacos were delivered in the morning and the food sat in a hallway unrefrigerated for about four hours. "I hope we don't see a bunch of kids with food poisoning," wrote a parent. "This is just ridiculous risky food handling." One parent complained about a vegetarian pasta dish that was frozen in the middle. It also didn't have enough sauce, they said. One parent said they planned to cancel some upcoming orders because the food appeared raw one day. Northcott said the facilities where the food is prepared are permitted and subject to regular inspections. Ingredients are a major concern for parents, especially relating to the diet their children follow. "We do know that many children's diets have expanded and that children have exposure to different types of foods, so we tried to balance that on our current menu to offer a variety of meals," said Northcott. Many parents asked whether there would be gluten-free or celiac options, as well as if the food was halal. Northcott said they are looking at reducing potential allergens in the menu and providing gluten-friendly options. 'We don't need cheese in every meal,' says parent One parent complained of too much dairy in the meal options. "This is ridiculous," the parent wrote. "We don't need cheese in every meal." Another wanted specific details about the dairy options. "I would like to find out if the vegetarian meals include dairy free milk, cheese and sour cream products or actual dairy products ...Also, better ingredient lists for vegetarian options list what actual milk products are (dairy, oat, soy, almond based)," they wrote. One parent wrote that their son followed a strict lacto-vegetarian diet, meaning they do not eat meat or eggs. They wondered if the cheese was of animal or plant-based origin, and asked for a picture of the cheese's label so they could determine that for themselves. Another parent wrote about ordering no-meat options for her two sons, complaining the black bean wrap was "littered with breast milk," pointing to the cheese and sour cream it included. "I'm so confused, the Canada food guide is clear on the harm eating animal proteins causes," they wrote. Why isn't goulash being offered? One parent praised the menu but said it wasn't kid-friendly. "Some of their favourites like nuggets, garlic pizza, goulash have not been included and they miss them," the parent wrote. "While as an adult, I agree chickpeas, tofu and other sources of protein are great, I suspect the majority of children ordering will not feel the same way." Another parent felt the food was too diverse. "Can we get a menu with items kids will actually eat?" they wrote. "These are rural children, they don't eat ethnic food." The school lunch program is offered to about 75,000 students at 268 elementary schools across the province, with about 50 per cent participation by students, said Northcott. This fall, that will expand by 76 schools as junior high and middle school grades are added. When that happens, just over 100,000 students will be eligible for the program. "We truly believe that every child deserves access to a healthy and enjoyable meal and we're definitely committed to making that a reality for Nova Scotia students," said Northcott.
