A quiet revolution is happening in the food aisle—and oddly, it’s being met with resistance from the very voices we’d expect to cheer it. At the center of it all? M&M’s, synthetic food dyes, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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THE TOPLINE
- Under pressure from RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) campaign, companies like Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo have agreed to eliminate petroleum-based dyes by 2026—a move supported by growing scientific evidence linking these dyes to behavioral and health issues in children.
- Despite the clear benefits, the mainstream media has dismissed the initiative due to its association with RFK Jr., showing how political bias can obstruct genuine health wins.
- While focused on dyes, this campaign opens the door to deeper discussions on the health harms of ultra-processed foods and additives, with states like Texas and Louisiana leading where the FDA has stalled.
In April, RFK Jr. announced an agreement with several major food manufacturers—Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, General Mills, ConAgra, and PepsiCo—to voluntarily remove petroleum-based food dyes by the end of 2026. If these companies follow through, household staples like Jell-O, Kool-Aid, and Lucky Charms will soon be free of synthetic dyes.
The response from much of the media and public health community? Skepticism—bordering on disdain.
Why? It seems that partisanship is trumping public health. If a different politician—one more in line with mainstream progressive views—had successfully pressured Big Food into eliminating ingredients linked to neurobehavioral and allergic disorders, it would be lauded as a watershed moment in food policy. Instead, we see the initiative dismissed, not because of what it does, but because of who leads it.
The Science Is Clearer Than Ever
Skepticism towards Kennedy’s effort is particularly baffling in light of recent science. In 2021, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) conducted a landmark review of existing literature and found that synthetic food dyes can cause or exacerbate neurobehavioral issues in children—directly contradicting long-standing FDA guidance. Their review highlighted multiple clinical trials, especially “challenge studies” where dyes were administered to children, revealing behavioral impacts across a spectrum of studies.
A 2024 peer-reviewed study reinforced this conclusion, linking synthetic dyes—especially yellow and red ones—to allergic reactions, potential carcinogenicity, and behavioral problems. The evidence is mounting, and it’s increasingly difficult to justify their continued use in children’s foods. (Links to supporting studies here, here, here, and here.)
While synthetic dyes are not solely responsible for the chronic disease crisis, they are part of a broader ecosystem of ingredients that harm our health over time—ingredients that, by and large, have been FDA approved, despite misleading narratives implicating the “Generally Recognized as Safe” process that we’ve been writing about.
States Lead Where the FDA Won’t
In the absence of FDA action on these ingredients, states are stepping up. In a bold new wave of legislation aligned with the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda, Texas and Louisiana have passed sweeping food reform laws requiring greater transparency on certain ingredients and even banning some in school lunches. States like Virginia, West Virginia, Utah, and Arizona are also advancing MAHA-aligned legislation targeting harmful food ingredients, especially in school meals.
The Candy Lobby Fights Back
Predictably, candy manufacturers—who rely heavily on synthetic dyes to market to children—are pushing back. Mars (maker of M&M’s and Skittles) insists their products are “safe” and compliant with applicable regulations. The National Confectioners Association has said it will not reformulate their products unless forced to do so.
Kennedy’s strategy bypasses regulatory gridlock and lawsuits by leaning on consumer pressure and state-level action. That may not be the traditional route, but it’s working. As of now, five of the largest food conglomerates are on board, and pressure is mounting for candy companies to follow.
The Bigger Picture: It’s Not Just the Dyes
Of course, focusing solely on food dyes oversimplifies the deeper problem—but that doesn’t mean this effort is misplaced. It’s the beginning of a much-needed conversation about ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and how individual ingredients can’t be meaningfully evaluated in isolation.
In the US, processed meats account for about 25% of all meat consumption—often preserved with additives like sodium nitrite, a known carcinogen. Non-nutritive sweeteners (like aspartame), excipients like titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide (which may interfere with gut health), and even flavor enhancers are all part of the problem. It’s not enough to remove one dye or one preservative—we must reckon with the total composition of the food we eat.
What Kennedy and his allies are doing is a starting point, but the end goal must be broader: shifting away from ultra-processed, barcoded food and returning to diets based on whole foods, ideally prepared and eaten at home, where ingredients are known and controllable. Consider this: Americans spend nearly half of their food dollars on food away from home. Some surveys show that Americans eat out 5-6 times per week. When we outsource our meals, we also outsource control over what’s in them.
This is the conversation progressives should be leading—not undermining.
Why This Matters
Regardless of your opinion on RFK Jr., this is an unambiguous public health victory. Reducing synthetic dye consumption—particularly among children—can prevent unnecessary suffering and developmental challenges. It’s a modest step, but an important one.
At ANH-USA, we believe in advancing health freedom based on science, not politics. If partisanship blinds us to progress when it happens, we’re missing opportunities to improve our collective wellbeing. The MAHA movement, however you define it politically, is demonstrating that change is possible when we push together.
Let’s celebrate victories for public health—no matter who delivers them.
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