Dozens of protesters gathered outside the WK Kellogg Co. headquarters in Michigan on Tuesday to advocate for the elimination of artificial dyes in the company’s breakfast cereals sold in the United States.
Kellogg, known for producing popular cereals such as Froot Loops and Apple Jacks, had vowed almost ten years ago to eliminate artificial colors and ingredients from its products by the year 2018. While the company has successfully made this transition in other countries, such as Canada—where Froot Loops are now tinted with concentrated carrot juice, watermelon juice, and blueberry juice—its cereals in the U.S. still contain synthetic colors and BHT, a chemical preservative.
On this occasion, activists presented petitions containing over 400,000 signatures urging WK Kellogg to remove these artificial dyes and BHT from their products. The demonstrators highlighted research suggesting that artificial dyes may lead to behavioral problems in children.
“I’m here representing all the mothers who find it difficult to provide their children with healthy meals that don’t contain harmful chemicals,” stated Vani Hari, a prominent food activist known for her successful campaign against Kraft Heinz regarding artificial dyes in their macaroni and cheese.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously stated that they have examined the implications of color additives on children’s behavior and consider that most children do not experience negative effects from consuming them.
WK Kellogg, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, which became an independent entity last year when its snack division was spun off to create Kellanova, asserted on Tuesday that its products are safe and meet all federal regulatory requirements.
“The majority of our cereal sales, over 85%, currently do not include colors from artificial sources,” the company highlighted in an official statement. “We constantly explore new cereal formulations that exclude artificial colors across our major brands, providing a variety of nutritious options for our consumers.”
Kellogg revealed that its decision to eliminate artificial colors and ingredients was inspired by customer demand for foods featuring natural ingredients. However, the company found that preferences vary significantly between different markets.
“For instance, we received a more favorable response to our cereal options that incorporate natural-color alternatives in Canada compared to the U.S. market,” the company noted.
Nonetheless, Kellogg may need to reassess its approach in light of recent developments. Last month, California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom enacted legislation banning six food dyes in meals served in public schools, marking the first instance of such a regulation in the U.S.
This new law prohibits the use of four dyes currently found in Froot Loops: Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, and Blue Dye No. 1.