Ice cream makers representing about 90% of the U.S. supply of frozen dairy desserts pledged to remove seven artificial dyes from their products by 2028, federal health officials said Monday, July 14.
The FDA and other officials described the change as part of a voluntary effort by food manufacturers to respond to calls from the Trump administration to remove synthetic dyes over concerns about potential health effects. The AP report said companies including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and General Mills had also indicated in recent weeks that they would pull artificial colors from their foods.
“This is a Renaissance moment for health in America,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference.
About 40 makers of ice cream and frozen dairy desserts said they would remove seven petroleum-based dyes by 2028, according to Michael Dykes, president of the International Dairy Foods Association. The dyes are Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The trade group did not identify the firms, though Turkey Hill Dairy chief executive Andy Jacobs attended the gathering.
Health officials and advocates have argued over the risks and benefits of artificial food dyes for years. Deanna Hoelscher, a University of Texas nutrition expert, said it was still important not to treat dye removal as a stand-alone fix.
“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.” She said officials should not ignore other known contributors to chronic disease, including added sugars and saturated fat commonly found in ice cream.
Makary, while supporting the dye shift, also hinted at potential changes to future guidance. He suggested new federal dietary guidelines expected later this year would challenge established links between saturated fat and heart disease, describing what he called “a 70-year demonization of natural saturated fat.”
The IDFA said the average American eats about 4 gallons of ice cream a year.
Health advocates have long called for removing artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies that have raised concerns about neurobehavioral effects such as hyperactivity and attention problems in some children. The FDA has maintained that approved dyes are safe, saying “most children have no adverse effects” when consuming foods made with them.
Separately, the AP report said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized the dyes and pressured manufacturers to remove them from foods. Federal officials said manufacturers should use dyes made from fruit juices, plant extracts and other sources.
The FDA said it has approved new natural color additives in recent months, including a new blue color made from the fruit of the gardenia, announced Monday. The agency said the gardenia (genipin) blue is approved for use in sports drinks, candies and certain other products.
Makary also sent a letter to food manufacturers on Monday “encourag[ing]” them to speed up removal of Red 3, which the report said was banned in January. Food makers have until 2027 to remove Red 3, which was found to cause cancer in laboratory rats but not humans.
Some consumer advocates said they remained skeptical about the reliance on voluntary commitments. Thomas Galligan, a scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said that depending on voluntary action rather than regulatory requirements would not guarantee compliance.
“Talk is cheap,” Galligan said, arguing companies may make promises to appear compliant and generate goodwill while it remains to be seen whether they follow through.