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General Mills Ditches Artificial Dyes in Cereals
Newser • • business
Key Points:
- General Mills announced it has removed artificial colors from all its US cereals, including Lucky Charms and Trix, using fruit-, vegetable-, and spice-based dyes instead to maintain bright colors.
- The company stated that 90% of its US retail products are now free of artificial dyes, with remaining products like some Betty Crocker cake mixes and Fruit Roll-Ups to transition to natural dyes by 2027.
- General Mills met its goal of removing artificial dyes from school foods ahead of schedule and is the second major cereal maker, after WK Kellogg, to commit to eliminating artificial colors from cereals.
- Health advocates have raised concerns about artificial dyes causing neurobehavioral issues in some children, though the FDA maintains approved dyes are generally safe but acknowledges some sensitivity in children.
- Consumer and political pressure, including agreements with state officials and retailer demands like Target's ban on artificially colored cereals, have accelerated General Mills' shift away from synthetic dyes.
