Kraft Heinz Removes Artificial Dyes: A Commitment to Natural Ingredients
Kraft Heinz has announced a major change to its product lineup. The food giant will remove all artificial dyes from its U.S. products by the end of 2027. This decision affects about 10% of their products that currently contain FD&C color additives.
Popular brands that will see changes include:
- Jell-O
- Kool-Aid
- Crystal Light
This move isn’t entirely new for Kraft Heinz. They already removed artificial colors from their Kraft Mac and Cheese in 2016, and their Heinz tomato ketchup has never contained artificial dyes.
Industry Shift
Kraft Heinz Removes Artificial Dyes: A Trend in Food Industry
Kraft Heinz isn’t alone in making this change. Other major food companies are taking similar steps:
Popular posts:
| Company | Timeline | Products Affected |
|---|---|---|
| General Mills | End of 2027 | All products |
| General Mills | Summer 2026 | K-12 school foods |
| PepsiCo | In progress | Various products |
| In-N-Out | Announced May 2025 | Select menu items |
These changes come as the food industry faces increased scrutiny about artificial ingredients. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been pushing to phase out eight synthetic food dyes from the American food supply.
What Are Artificial Food Dyes?
Artificial or synthetic food dyes are color additives derived from petroleum. They’re used to make food more visually appealing but have no nutritional value. The FDA currently approves several of these dyes for use in food products.
Common artificial food dyes include:
- Red 40
- Yellow 5
- Yellow 6
- Blue 1
Health Concerns
Why are companies making these changes? There are ongoing debates about the safety of artificial dyes:
- Behavioral impacts: Some studies suggest links between artificial dyes and behavioral changes in children
- Cancer concerns: Animal studies have shown potential cancer connections, raising questions about human effects
- Mixed expert opinions: While some nutritionists recommend avoiding artificial dyes completely, others believe more research is needed
Despite these concerns, the FDA recently approved two new dyes and expanded approval for another, allowing it to be used in more food products.
What This Means For You
As a consumer, you’ll start seeing changes to some of your favorite products over the next two years. Kraft Heinz has promised that while removing artificial dyes, they remain “focused on providing nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting food.”
The company hasn’t specified exactly how they’ll replace these dyes, but many food manufacturers typically switch to:
- Natural color alternatives (from fruits and vegetables)
- No coloring at all
- New formulations that achieve similar visual appeal
You might notice subtle changes in the appearance of certain products as these transitions happen, but companies typically try to minimize differences in taste or texture.
These industry changes reflect growing consumer preference for foods with fewer artificial ingredients and greater transparency about what goes into the products you eat every day.
