Kennedy, HHS have no “agreement” with industry to eliminate food dyes; only an “understanding”

It's disappointing that Secretary Kennedy and Commissioner Makary would hold a press conference to announce the elimination of food dyes-only for reporters to learn that the only real regulatory moves here are to move to ban two rarely used dyes, Citrus Red 2 and Orange B, "within the coming months."

They announced no rulemaking of any sort remove the remaining six numbered dyes. Instead, we are told that the administration has an unspecified "understanding" with some unspecified fraction of the food industry to eliminate dyes. We wish Kennedy and Makary well getting these unnecessary and harmful dyes out of the food supply and hope they succeed. Perhaps the food industry will seek to avoid a vindictive president's wrath. But history tells us that relying on voluntary food industry compliance has all-too-often proven to be a fool's errand.

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Tags

• Food Dyes
• Additives
• Trump
• Department of Health and Human Services

Topics

• Food Additives
• Government Accountability
• Industry Accountability