Overview

• Nestlé will remove all artificial colors from its U.S. products by mid-2026, building on a decade-long shift that has already left 90% of its portfolio dye-free.
• J.M. Smucker Co. plans to eliminate synthetic dyes from the remainder of its offerings by the end of 2027, including items served in K–12 schools during the 2026–27 academic year.
• General Mills will strip dyes from U.S. cereals and all K–12 foods by mid-2026, while Kraft Heinz and Conagra target full phase-outs of artificial colors by the end of 2027.
• Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary issued voluntary guidance in April urging food companies to end use of nine petroleum-based dyes by the close of 2026.
• California, West Virginia and Texas have enacted bans or warning-label requirements on products containing synthetic dyes in school meals and retail markets.