Synthetic colors like red no. 40 and yellow no. 5 are under pressure from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., states, and consumers alike

by Matt Blois

In brief

Concerned about the potential health effects of artificial food colors, regulators and consumers are pushing food companies to replace them with natural alternatives. The industry has felt this pressure before. Ten years ago, a wave of big food companies promised to remove synthetic colors from their products. But many customers rejected the duller, naturally colored products, and the synthetics remained on grocery store shelves. New techniques that make naturals more stable and new sources of color could now help companies make the switch. But even with improved technology, natural colors will struggle to match the brightness and performance of synthetics. ....