MAHA – Petroleum-Based Food Dye Ban

The Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Health and Human Services have announced a ban on all petroleum-based synthetic food dyes beginning in 2026. Robert F. Kennedy has warned for years that America’s food supply has been compromised with chemicals that have aided in causing America to be the sickest nation in the developed world.

The FDA is taking the following actions:

1. Establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives.
2. Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.
3. Working with industry to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes—FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2—from the food supply by the end of next year.
4. Authorizing four new natural color additives in the coming weeks, while also accelerating the review and approval of others.
5. Partnering with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct comprehensive research on how food additives impact children’s health and development.
6. Requesting food companies to remove FD&C Red No. 3 sooner than the 2027-2028 deadline previously required.

“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development. That era is coming to an end. We’re restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public’s trust. And we’re doing it by working with industry to get these toxic dyes out of the foods our families eat every day.”

Europe and Canada has already banned the majority of these ingredients. It is especially concerning that these food dyes are put into processed foods that are marketed toward children. Not only are these dyes prevalent in foods, but they are also laced in our medications. Again, the US has the highest rates of childhood obesity and preventable health issues in the developed world.

“Cancer and diabetes in young people is going up at an alarming rate and nobody seems to know why. We have to turn our attention to underlying causes such as chemicals and toxins that children are exposed to — not just more insulin and chemotherapy,” US FDS Commissioner Marty Makary stated.

Synthetic food dyes (e.g., Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1) can be found in candies, beverages, cereals, and candies. Canada has issued warning labels on these dyes, stating that they are linked to hyperactivity, behavioral issues, and allergies in children. Carmoisine and Allura Red have been completely banned. The European Union does not permit these dyes in its foods. Global corporations like McDonald’s use natural ingredients in their franchises abroad, for example, while feeding US consumers outright cheap poison because the government gave them permission to do so.

This is merely a first step in an extremely long list of ingredients that are banned throughout the world but permitted in America. Recombinant bovine growth hormones (rBGH/rBST) are fed to American dairy cows to promote milk production. Canada banned this hormone in 1999 after it was found to cause cancer and elevate insulin levels. The EU, New Zealand, and Australia, to name a few, have long banned this unnecessary carcinogen.

Olestra or Olean is an approved fat substitute. One may see a product marketed as “low fat” or “low calorie” on American shelves, but they are often using this as an alternative to reduce the calorie content. This ingredient has been found to cause severe digestive problems, nutrient absorption issues, and deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins. Again, the EU, UK, and Canada do not permit manufacturers to add this ingredient to their food.

Potassium bromate is commonly found in baked goods in America as it acts as a dough conditioner to enhance the baking process. This chemical has been directly linked to cancer, kidney, nervous system, and thyroid issues. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared it to be a carcinogen. Still, the FDA has permitted Americans to consume this poison. California banned the chemical statewide in 2023 under the Food Safety Act.

Azodicarbonamide (ADA), Roxarsone (Arsenic-Based Additive), and Artificial Trans Fats (Partially Hydrogenated Oils)  are a few other ingredients KNOWN to cause severe health issues, but American regulatory agencies permit manufacturers to lace it in America’s food supply. It is no conspiracy that known poisons have been added to countless products found in America’s food supply. The food manufacturers benefit because these ingredients are often cheap, addictive, and visually appealing. Big Pharma and the insurance companies benefit from a nation of sick people. The Make America Healthy Again campaign should be championed as common-sense legislation that will guarantee Americans a better quality of life.