US ice cream makers to scoop out synthetic dyes under RFK Jr. push / Photo: Brendan SMIALOWSKI - AFP
US ice cream makers to scoop out synthetic dyes under RFK Jr. push
Major US ice cream makers on Monday announced plans to phase out their use of artificial dyes following pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to eliminate unnecessary additives from the American diet.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), which includes over 40 top ice cream brands, said its members would stop using petroluem-derived synthetic colorings by the end of 2027.
These chemicals have been linked in studies to conditions including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, and genomic disruption, yet serve no nutritional or functional purpose beyond cosmetic coloring, health advocates have long argued.
"I'm particularly happy to be here today because this is relevant to my favorite food, which is ice cream," Kennedy said at a press event, lauding the dairy industry for its actions.
"This is a great day for dairy and it's a great day for Make America Healthy Again," added the IDFA's President and CEO Michael Dykes, referencing Kennedy's MAHA slogan that is a play on President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" or MAGA.
Andy Jacobs, CEO of Turkey Hill, said many commercial ice cream manufacturers had already phased out artificial colors or were in the process of doing so.
"By taking this step now, ice cream manufacturers are ensuring that ice cream remains a special part of our lives as consumer preferences change and the nation's regulatory priorities evolve," he said.
Industry data shows Americans consume roughly 19 pounds (8.6 kg) of ice cream a year. The frozen treat plays a major economic role -- contributing an estimated $12 billion to the economy and supporting more than 27,000 dairy industry jobs.
In April, Kennedy announced plans to revoke authorization for two synthetic dyes and to "work with industry" to eliminate six more -- an approach critics dismissed as too soft and overly reliant on voluntary action.
The Food and Drug Administration, in one of its final acts under president Joe Biden, had already finalized a rule to ban Red Dye No. 3, one of the most widely used and controversial colorings.
Yet there are signs that Kennedy's peer-pressure strategy is yielding some results.
Major food manufacturers including Nestle, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, and PepsiCo have already signed on to ditch artificial dyes.
Kennedy on Monday said between "35 and 40 percent" of the food industry has now pledged to make the shift.
But key holdouts remain -- notably candy giants like Mars, which makes M&M's and Skittles -- in the absence of binding federal regulation.
The ice cream makers' pledge pushes past Kennedy's original target of end-2026, giving companies an extra year to adjust their supply chains.
Z.Ottaviano--PV
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