CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — The Food and Drug Administration is phasing out the use of artificial dyes in the United States by the end of 2026. This new regulation has people wondering what will happen to their favorite foods and drinks like Hot Cheetos and Big Red.
Red dye 40 is a synthetic ingredient that gives common food and drink its reddish hue. According to WebMD, Red No. 40 is a dye made from Allura Red AC, a naphthalene sulfonic acid. It usually appears as a dark red powder or granules, which can be dissolved in water, 50% alcohol, glycerol, and propylene glycol. When heated to very high temperatures, it breaks down and releases toxic fumes containing nitrogen and sulfur oxides.
The toxic ingredient has been banned in countries such as Finland, Norway, Iceland, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, and many others.
In the United States, food and beverage companies utilize additives like red dye 40 to give cereal, chips, sports drinks, and other products bright colors that attract shoppers. But backlash against artificial colorants has been brewing in the U.S. for more than a decade.
The FDA is phasing out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of next year, the agency announced back in April.
"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.
In South Texas, many beloved snacks and drinks contain artificial dyes, such as Big Red, Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Skittles, and Takis.
Keurig Dr. Pepper, the manufacturing company for Big Red, has not made any announcements regarding whether they plan to substitute Red dye 40 for another ingredient.
“For companies that are currently using petroleum-based red dye, try watermelon juice or beet juice. For companies currently combining petroleum-based yellow chemical and red dyes together, try carrot juice,” Makary said.
FDA is also eliminating the remaining six synthetic dyes on the market from the U.S. food supply by the end of the year, specifically red dye 40, yellow dye 5, yellow dye 6, blue dye 1, blue dye 2, and green dye 2.
The Trump administration, along with the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., claimed, “MAHA is winning,” referring to the so-called Make America Healthy Again movement.
The MAHA initiative highlights the impact of ultra-processed foods, specifically regarding the future health of children in the U.S.
