Key facts
- Mars will soon offer M&M's made without artificial dyes.
- Two iconic M&M's colors will not be included in the new formulation.
- The FDA is moving to eliminate several synthetic dyes by 2026 and 2027.
- Many U.S. food companies are reformulating products to use natural colorings.
- Health advocates have raised concerns about artificial dyes' potential impact on children's behavior.
Mars has announced that M&M's will soon be available without artificial dyes, joining a growing list of food companies reformulating their products. This initiative follows a call from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and regulatory actions by the FDA. The FDA is moving to eliminate several synthetic dyes, including Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and Blue 2, by the end of 2026, with Red 3 slated for a ban by 2027 due to concerns about carcinogenicity in laboratory rats.
In response to these developments, numerous major food manufacturers, including General Mills, PepsiCo, ConAgra, McCormick, JM Smucker, Hershey, and Kraft Heinz, have committed to removing synthetic colors from their products. These companies are opting for natural alternatives derived from sources such as beets, algae, crushed insects, purple sweet potatoes, radishes, and red cabbage. Mars will also be offering naturally-colored versions of Skittles, Extra Gum, and Starburst fruit chews.
Several brands have already completed their transition to artificial dye-free products. In-N-Out removed artificial colorings from its strawberry shakes and pink lemonade last spring, while Sam's Club has eliminated synthetic colors from its Member's Mark private label products. Target's private label cereal also no longer contains these dyes. Nestle and Tyson Foods have also met their goals for removing artificial dyes, as has a portion of PepsiCo's product portfolio, which recently introduced "naked" versions of some popular chips.
While health advocates have long pushed for the removal of artificial dyes, citing potential links to neurobehavioral issues like hyperactivity in children, the FDA maintains that approved color additives are safe for the general population. Susan Mayne, a Yale University expert and former director of the FDA’s food center, expressed skepticism about the impact of these changes, suggesting they do not address major health problems like chronic diseases.