FDA to phase out dyes used in Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Skittles and other snacks

Amelia Lucas,Annika Kim Constantino - CNBC - 22:22
The FDA is phasing out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in food and drinks.
Candy is displayed for sale, as U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., along with FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, announce the FDA's intent to remove from the U.S. food supply "petroleum-based synthetic" food dyes, which are present in numerous foods such as breakfast cereals, candy, snacks, and beverages, at a grocery store in Medford, Massachusetts, U.S., April 22, 2025.
Brian Snyder | Reuters

The fluorescent red of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, the brilliant teal of Mountain Dew Baja Blast and the colorful rainbow of Skittles may soon be dimmed.

The Food and Drug Administration is phasing out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of next year, the agency announced on Tuesday.

"For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals," FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said at a press conference.

Food and beverage companies use additives like red dye 40 to give cereal, chips, sports drinks and other products bright hues that attract shoppers. But backla...
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