Kraft Heinz says it will stop using all artificial food dyes in its U.S. products by the end of 2027. The decision comes as the Trump administration pushes food companies to remove artificial colors from the national food supply.
The company, one of the biggest food makers in North America, also said it won’t launch any new U.S. products with artificial colors starting now. Kraft Heinz is working with other companies that use its brand names to help them stop using these dyes too. These dyes, called FD&C colors, are also used in medicines and cosmetics and must be approved under a strict government system.
“The majority of our products already use natural colors or no color at all,” said Pedro Navio, president of Kraft Heinz’s North America operations. “We’ve been working to reduce the use of FD&C colors for years.”
Navio pointed out that Kraft Heinz’s famous tomato ketchup has never had artificial dyes—the red color comes from real tomatoes. The company also removed artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives from its Kraft Mac & Cheese back in 2016.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made it a priority to get rid of these dyes. In April, he said, “For too long, food companies have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge. These harmful ingredients don’t help our health and may be dangerous, especially for children.”
The FDA has approved seven artificial color additives for use in food—six of them were approved before 1931. But in April, the FDA said it plans to work with food companies to remove six dyes, including FD&C Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Blue No. 1, by the end of next year.
One dye, FD&C Red No. 3, was already banned in food and medicine earlier this year. It’s also called Erythrosine and is known for its bright red color. It’s been banned in Europe and in U.S. cosmetics for years because animal studies showed it could cause cancer.
The FDA now requires food makers to stop using Red No. 3 by January 15, 2027. Drug companies have until January 2028.
Kraft Heinz said it still uses artificial colors in only a small number of products, mostly because they were long approved by the FDA.
