鶹Ů

Skip to main content

The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.

Subscribe Follow Us
  • Trump 2.0

    Trump 2.0

    • Agency Watch
    • State Watch
    • Medicaid Watch
    • Rural Health Payout
  • Public Health

    Public Health

    • Vaccines
    • CDC & Disease
    • Environmental Health
  • Audio Reports

    Audio Reports

    • What the Health?
    • Health Care Helpline
    • 鶹Ů Health News Minute
    • An Arm and a Leg
    • Health Hub
    • HealthQ
    • Silence in Sikeston
    • Epidemic
    • See All Audio
  • Special Reports

    Special Reports

    • Bill Of The Month
    • The Body Shops
    • Broken Rehab
    • Deadly Denials
    • Priced Out
    • Dead Zone
    • Diagnosis: Debt
    • Overpayment Outrage
    • Opioid Settlement Tracking
    • See All Special Reports
  • More Topics

    More Topics

    • Elections
    • Health Care Costs
    • Insurance
    • Prescription Drugs
    • Health Industry
    • Immigration
    • Reproductive Health
    • Technology
    • Rural Health
    • Race and Health
    • Aging
    • Mental Health
    • Affordable Care Act
    • Medicare
    • Medicaid
    • Children’s Health

  • Emergency Room Boarding
  • Device Coverage by Medicare
  • Planned Parenthood Funding
  • Covid/Flu Combo Shot
  • RFK Jr. vs. Congress

TRENDING TOPICS:

  • Emergency Room Boarding
  • Device Coverage by Medicare
  • Planned Parenthood Funding
  • Covid/Flu Combo Shot
  • RFK Jr. vs. Congress

Morning Briefing

Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

  • Email

Wednesday, Mar 12 2025

Full Issue

RFK Jr. Wants Artificial Food Dyes Removed From Foods Quickly

HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. reportedly wants them gone before he leaves office. In related news, The Wall Street Journal reported that Kennedy also told the FDA to consider changes to a rule governing food additives deemed “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told food industry leaders in a closed-door meeting on Monday that he wants them to remove artificial color additives from their products by the end of his time in office, according to a memo describing the meeting, which was obtained by ABC News. At the Washington gathering, which included the CEOs of Kellogg's, Smucker's and General Mills, Kennedy said it is a top priority of the Trump administration to rid America's food of the artificial dyes, wrote Melissa Hockstad, president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, a trade group, who penned the memo. (McDuffie and Flaherty, 3/11)

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. instructed the Food and Drug Administration to consider changes to a rule governing food additives deemed “generally recognized as safe” or GRAS. Federal law currently lets companies determine whether many food ingredients can be considered GRAS. Because it is voluntary, many companies don’t notify the FDA of those ingredients. HHS said it would look for ways legislation can close what it described as a loophole in food safety. (Newman and Peterson, 3/11)

At least a dozen US states – from traditionally conservative Oklahoma to liberal-leaning New York – are rushing to pass laws outlawing commonly used dyes and other chemical additives in foods, citing a need to protect public health. In one of the most far-reaching efforts, West Virginia last week advanced a sweeping ban on a range of common food dyes that have been linked to health problems, particularly for children, with overwhelming support from both Republicans and Democrats. (Gillam, 3/11)

Also —

Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traveled to a Steak ‘n Shake in Florida over the weekend with Fox News host Sean Hannity, days after the company announced it would be cooking its iconic shoestring fries in beef tallow. "Steak ‘n Shake has been great. We're very grateful [to] them for RFK'ing the french fries. They turned me into a verb," he said Monday on "Hannity." In a March 1 post on X, the company said it had officially started cooking with 100% all-natural beef tallow at all of its locations. (Carnahan, 3/10)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
Newsletter icon

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Stay informed by signing up for the Morning Briefing and other emails:

Recent Morning Briefings

  • Friday, April 24
  • Thursday, April 23
  • Wednesday, April 22
  • Tuesday, April 21
  • Monday, April 20
  • Friday, April 17
More Morning Briefings
RSS Feeds
  • Podcasts
  • Special Reports
  • Morning Briefing
  • About Us
  • Republish Our Content
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

  • RSS

Sign up for emails

Join our email list for regular updates based on your personal preferences.

Sign up
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2026 鶹Ů