The ice cream industry’s pledge is the latest in a series of voluntary commitments prompted by Trump administration pressure, though at least one consumer advocate warned that industry promises without regulatory requirements offer no guarantee of compliance.
About 40 ice cream and frozen dairy dessert makers representing approximately 90 percent of the U.S. supply pledged Monday to remove seven petroleum-based artificial dyes from their products by 2028, federal health officials announced.
“This is a Renaissance moment for health in America,” Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference.
The seven dyes targeted for removal are Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, according to Michael Dykes, president of the International Dairy Foods Association. The trade group declined to identify the participating companies by name, though Turkey Hill Dairy chief executive Andy Jacobs attended the gathering.
The move is the latest voluntary step by food manufacturers responding to pressure from the Trump administration to eliminate synthetic dyes over concerns about potential health effects. Companies including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and General Mills said in recent weeks that they would also pull artificial colors from their products.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized artificial dyes and pressured manufacturers to remove them. Federal officials said manufacturers should replace petroleum-based dyes with colorings derived from fruit juices, plant extracts and other natural sources.
A new natural blue and a renewed push on Red 3
The FDA announced Monday that it had approved a new blue color derived from the fruit of the gardenia — known as gardenia (genipin) blue — for use in sports drinks, candies and certain other products.
Makary also sent a letter Monday to food manufacturers encouraging them to accelerate removal of Red 3, a dye banned in January that was found to cause cancer in laboratory rats, though not in humans. Food makers have until 2027 to complete that removal.
Experts urge broader focus
Health advocates have long sought the elimination of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies suggesting the colorings may cause some neurobehavioral problems — including hyperactivity and attention difficulties — in some children. The FDA has maintained that approved dyes are safe and that “most children have no adverse effects” when consuming foods containing them.
Deanna Hoelscher, a nutrition expert at the University of Texas, said the national focus on artificial food dyes is a worthwhile direction but cautioned that it should not divert attention from larger known contributors to chronic disease, including the added sugars and saturated fat commonly found in ice cream.
“Just taking out or changing the food dye source is not necessarily going to make it a healthy option,” Hoelscher said. “It still is a food that should be consumed in moderation.”
Makary hinted that new federal dietary guidelines, expected later in 2025, would challenge established links between saturated fat and heart disease, ending what he called “a 70-year demonization of natural saturated fat.”
Enforcement questions
At least one consumer advocate questioned whether voluntary commitments would produce lasting change. Thomas Galligan, a scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said relying on industry promises rather than regulatory requirements offers no guarantee that companies will follow through.
“Talk is cheap,” Galligan said. “It’s easy for companies to make promises to look like they’re being compliant and generate goodwill among consumers and the Trump administration, but it remains to be seen if they will actually follow through.”
The average American eats about 4 gallons of ice cream a year, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.