Major American brands have vowed to remove synthetic food dyes from their products, but M&M’s and Skittles, made by Mars, remain colorful holdouts.
Mars has continued to use synthetic dyes in its candies after backing off a 2016 plan to remove all artificial colors from its food portfolio.
The company reversed course after it found that consumer attitudes varied by country, with Europeans largely opposed to synthetic dyes, while others preferred artificially colored treats, according to the Mars website.
Synthetic dyes have come under fire recently from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who wants them removed from the nation’s food supply over potential health risks.
Some research has linked the dyes to behavioral health issues in children and places like Australia, Canada and the European Union generally have tighter restrictions on their use.
Despite those concerns, synthetic dyes remain widespread, appearing in nearly 1 in 5 packaged foods and beverages on U.S. grocery shelves, according to a recent study.
That study, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, found that confectionery companies had the most products containing synthetic dyes.
The National Confectioners Association, a candy industry trade group, criticized the study, accusing the authors of having “major gaps in their analysis.” The NCA argued that chocolate and candy differ from other foods because Americans eat them less frequently, only two to three times per week.
Both Skittles and M&M’s list several synthetic dyes on their ingredient labels, including common dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. Mars did not respond to NewsNation’s request for comment on Tuesday.
So far, Kennedy has favored the carrot over the stick, encouraging companies to voluntarily phase out synthetic dyes rather than pushing for major changes in federal regulation. Recent announcements suggest the approach is gaining traction.
Food giants like Kraft Heinz, General Mills, PepsiCo, Nestle and ConAgra have all unveiled plans to move away from artificial colors in their U.S. products. The question is whether they’ll follow through.
Thomas Galligan, principal scientist for food additives at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, has expressed skepticism, noting that many companies have failed to keep similar promises in the past.
“If the FDA were to require warning labels on synthetically dyed foods, similar to the rule in place since 2010 in the European Union, there would be a much stronger incentive for industry to reformulate,” Galligan said in a recent statement.
Several states have taken matters into their own hands, passing legislation restricting synthetic dyes. In West Virginia, most artificial food dyes will be banned starting in 2028. California and Virginia have banned six artificial dyes from school food.
Meanwhile, beginning in 2027, Texas will require warning labels on foods or beverages made with any of more than 40 dyes or additives.
“We follow and will continue to follow regulatory guidance from the authorities in this space because consumer safety is our chief responsibility and priority,” the National Confectioners Association said in an April statement responding to Kennedy’s push to phase out synthetic food dyes.
While several artificial dyes remain, Mars has removed another controversial additive, titanium dioxide, from Skittles.
The chemical, which helps make candy appear shiny, was removed from all Skittles production at the end of last year, the company confirmed to Bloomberg in May. The ingredient was already banned in the European Union in 2022 over possible health risks.
According to its website, Mars is still committed to avoiding synthetic colors in its dinnertime foods.
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