Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins hold up ice cream cones during a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo by AFP

(KPL) Major US ice cream makers on Monday announced plans to phase out their use of artificial dyes following pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to eliminate unnecessary additives from the American diet.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), which includes over 40 top ice cream brands, said its members would stop using petroleum-derived synthetic colorings by the end of 2027.

These chemicals have been linked in studies to conditions including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, and genomic disruption, yet serve no nutritional or functional purpose beyond cosmetic coloring, health advocates have long argued.

"I'm particularly happy to be here today because this is relevant to my favorite food, which is ice cream," Kennedy said at a press event, lauding the dairy industry for its actions.

"This is a great day for dairy and it's a great day for Make America Healthy Again," added the IDFA's President and CEO Michael Dykes, referencing Kennedy's MAHA slogan that is a play on President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" or MAGA.

Andy Jacobs, CEO of Turkey Hill, said many commercial ice cream manufacturers had already phased out artificial colors or were in the process of doing so.

"By taking this step now, ice cream manufacturers are ensuring that ice cream remains a special part of our lives as consumer preferences change and the nation's regulatory priorities evolve," he said.

Industry data shows Americans consume roughly 19 pounds (8.6 kg) of ice cream a year. The frozen treat contributes an estimated $12 billion to the economy and supports more than 27,000 dairy industry jobs.

In April, Kennedy announced plans to revoke authorization for two synthetic dyes and to "work with industry" to eliminate six more -- an approach critics dismissed as too soft and overly reliant on voluntary action.

- Peer pressure -

By contrast, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in one of its final acts under president Joe Biden finalized a rule to actually ban Red Dye No. 3, one of the most widely used and controversial colorings.

Yet there are signs that Kennedy's peer pressure strategy is yielding some results.

Major food manufacturers including Nestle, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, and PepsiCo have already signed on to ditch artificial dyes.

Kennedy on Monday said between "35 and 40 percent" of the food industry has now pledged to make the shift, but it was notable the ice cream makers' pledge pushes past the health secretary's original target of end-2026, giving companies an extra year to adjust their supply chains.

And key holdouts remain -- for example Mars, the maker of M&M's and Skittles, and its subsidiary Kellogg's, whose Froot Loops still use Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, and Yellow 6 in the US, even though the same cereal is artificial dye-free in places like Canada.

At the same time, Trump's FDA has fast-tracking natural-dye based alternatives, adding gardenia (genipin) blue to the list on Monday, the fourth such approval in two months.

KPL