Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has already placed seed oils, sugar, and highly processed foods in his crosshairs. And last week he declared war on artificial food dyes, calling them “poisonous compounds,” and explaining at a press conference that health officials are urging foodmakers to phase out the petroleum-based colorings, stopping short of an actual ban.
“We don’t have an agreement, we have an understanding,” Kennedy said, explaining that the Food and Drug Administration would establish a timeline for the industry to switch to natural dyes (which are more expensive and, coming from sources including beets and cochineal bugs in Peru, more difficult to harvest) and move toward removing other dyes from the market.
