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Nestlé USA Completes Artificial Food Dye Phase-Out

mini shopping basket full of cereal pieces — Image credit: rawpixel via Magnific

Nestlé USA announced that it has fully eliminated synthetic colorants authorized under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act from its U.S. food and beverage portfolio, achieving its commitment to do so by mid-2026.

The action aligns with the wishes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for industry to voluntarily phase out synthetic, petroleum-based dyes from the nation’s food supply. It also responds to an emerging patchwork of state legislation banning or restricting the use of certain colorants in foods sold statewide or offered at schools in California, West Virginia, Arizona, and other states.

Additional brands that have made commitments to remove synthetic colorants from their food and beverage portfolio include Aldi, Walmart, Kraft Heinz, and others.

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Bailee Henderson is the Director of Content Strategy for Food Safety Magazine. In the day-to-day, she covers industry-relevant current events, regulatory affairs, and scientific developments. She also produces the Food Safety Five Newsreel and edits the twice-weekly Food Safety Digest newsletter. Notably, Bailee's coverage for Food Safety Magazine has been featured in national televised news segments including CBS Sunday Morning and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show. She can be reached at hendersonb@bnpmedia.com.