Overview

• More than ten leading U.S. food manufacturers have committed to eliminate synthetic, petroleum-based food dyes from their products, with most targeting completion by end of 2027.
• Nestlé plans to phase out all artificial colors in its U.S. portfolio by mid-2026, noting that 90% of its items already rely on natural pigments.
• The J.M. Smucker Co. and The Hershey Company have announced full removal of synthetic dyes by 2027, including in foods served in K-12 schools by the 2026–27 academic year.
• In April, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary released a voluntary roadmap urging food companies to replace nine synthetic dyes with FDA-approved plant-based alternatives by 2026.
• State-level measures in California, West Virginia and Texas have complemented the federal push with bans on artificial dyes in school meals and warning labels on products containing synthetic colorants.