Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently met with executives from PepsiCo and other companies.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy recently told executives from top food companies that he wants artificial dyes out of the nation’s food supply before he leaves office, according to a new email.
Kennedy, the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on March 10 met with executives from PepsiCo, Tyson Foods, and other companies that sell food and food products. He said that the discussion covered food safety, writing on the social media platform X, and said, “We will strengthen consumer trust by getting toxins out of our food.”
The Consumer Brands Association, a trade group representing PepsiCo and other food and consumer goods makers, participated in the meeting
In an email, sent after the meeting and viewed by The Epoch Times, the association said that Kennedy wanted to work with the industry in a collaborative and non-adversarial fashion.
He also communicated the Trump administration’s strong desire to remove artificial dyes such as FD&C Blue No. 1 from the food supply, labeling it as an urgent priority to be completed before he exits office.
Kennedy was quoted as saying he expects “real and transformative” change by “getting the worst ingredients” out of food.
Kyle Diamantas, the acting deputy commissioner for human foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), informed attendees that he knew the industry could not act alone and said the FDA would work with companies to reinforce the need for a federal framework to avoid patchworks from state law, according to the email.
California in 2024 banned artificial dyes from school lunches. Several other states have moved towards legislation limiting the use of the dyes. The FDA in January revoked authorization for Red No. 3, one of the dyes, in food products.
Kennedy also said during the meeting, according to the email, that he will take action unless the industry acts.
“On Monday, industry leaders met with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to discuss his Make America Healthy Again agenda and working together to maintain consumer access to safe, affordable and convenient product choices,” Melissa Hockstad, president and CEO, Consumer Brands Association, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement.
