Skittles, Mountain Dew and Fruit Loops shine a little brighter on supermarket shelves in the U.S. than they do in some other countries.
That’s because artificial food dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 5 used in many snacks and sugary foods are banned in certain countries like Denmark, France and Switzerland — something secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to do by the end of 2026. Last week, Kennedy said he had reached an “understanding” with companies in the food industry to phase out these petroleum-based dyes and others like Blue No. 1, Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B used in everything from ice cream and candy to packaged soup.
