RFK Jr. Moves to Phase Out Petroleum Food Dyes: 'They Shouldn't Be Feeding It to the Rest of Us' (April 22, 2025)

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told America’s food companies to get petroleum out of the nation’s food. “When I went in a few months ago to meet with food companies, I was talking with my staff about this and I said, if they want to eat petroleum, they ought to eat it themselves at home and they shouldn’t be feeding it to the rest of us,” Kennedy said at a press conference on April 22, 2025, according to The National News Desk [2].

That day, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration “announced a series of new measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply,” the FDA said [1].

The video above shows Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announcing the plan on April 22, 2025. Quotes are from the FDA, The National News Desk and FOX 13 [1][2][3][4][5].

”That Era Is Coming to an End”

“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” Kennedy said in the FDA’s announcement. “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.” [1]

“We’re restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public’s trust,” Kennedy said [1].

Kennedy said parents will be able to see what is in their food. “We’re looking at labeling. We have to go to Congress for that — but one of the things that we’re going to do is post all the information we have about every additive on an open-source website,” he said [2].

“And we’re going to encourage companies to develop apps in the private marketplace where mothers can go in and scan a barcode of every product in their grocery store and know what’s in them and what’s not,” Kennedy said [2].

”A Toxic Soup of Synthetic Chemicals”

“Today, the FDA is taking action to remove petroleum-based food dyes,” Makary said as the press conference began. “For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals.” [2]

“Today, the FDA is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,” Makary said in the announcement. “We have a new epidemic of childhood diabetes, obesity, depression, and ADHD.” [1]

“Given the growing concerns of doctors and parents about the potential role of petroleum-based food dyes, we should not be taking risks and do everything possible to safeguard the health of our children,” Makary said [1].

“As I know from my experience [in] taking care of children as a doctor, you have to always listen to the mom,” he said [2].

The Plan

The FDA listed its steps [1]:

• “Establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives.”
• “Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months.”
• Working with industry to eliminate six more dyes, including Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5, “from the food supply by the end of next year.”
• “Authorizing four new natural color additives in the coming weeks, while also accelerating the review and approval of others.”
• “Requesting food companies to remove FD&C Red No. 3 sooner than the 2027-2028 deadline previously required.”

“The FDA is fast-tracking the review of calcium phosphate, Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and other natural alternatives to synthetic food dyes,” the agency said [1].

By the Numbers

• 8: synthetic dyes targeted, two to be revoked and six to be phased out, per the FDA [1].
• 4: new natural color additives promised “in the coming weeks,” per the FDA [1].
• 50 years: of “a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,” per Makary [2].

What Happened Next

Natural colors got approved. Less than three weeks later, “the Food and Drug Administration announced this week it has approved using color additives from three natural sources,” FOX 13 reported on May 10, 2025. They were “Galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract and calcium phosphate.” [3]

Orange B was revoked. On July 22, 2026, the FDA announced it “is issuing a final order revoking the authorized use of Orange B as a color additive in food and is proposing to revoke the authorized use of Citrus Red No. 2 as a color additive in food.” [4]

“The Trump Administration is taking decisive action to strengthen the safety of America’s food supply,” Kennedy said [4].

Companies signed on. The FDA’s tracker lists “calcium phosphate, Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and beetroot red” among the natural colors it has approved [5].

“General Mills announced it would remove certified colors from all U.S. cereals and K–12 school foods by summer 2026. Nestlé committed to eliminating FD&C colors from its entire U.S. food and beverage portfolio by mid-2026,” the FDA says [5]. Kraft Heinz pledged to “eliminate certified color additives from products by the end of 2027,” the tracker shows [5].

For Trump receiving the MAHA report from Kennedy and Makary, see HYGO News’ page on May 22, 2025. For Kennedy and Makary on gain-of-function research, see the page on May 5, 2025.

Sources

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: HHS, FDA to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes in Nation’s Food Supply (April 22, 2025)
2. ABC News 4 (The National News Desk): FDA and HHS move to ban synthetic dyes linked to health issues in children (April 22, 2025)
3. FOX 13 Tampa Bay: FDA approves 3 natural food dyes (May 10, 2025)
4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA Takes Further Steps to Remove Outdated Authorizations for Color Additives in Food (July 22, 2026)
5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum Based Food Dyes (updated October 16, 2026)