Protesters demand Kellogg remove artificial colors from Froot Loops and other cereals

Dozens of people gathered outside the headquarters of WK Kellogg Co. on Tuesday to demand that the company eliminate artificial colors from its cereals in the United States.

Kellogg, maker of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks, announced nearly a decade ago that it would eliminate artificial colors and ingredients from its products by 2018.

The company has already done it in other countries. In Canada, for example, Froot Loops are colored with concentrated carrot, watermelon and blueberry juice. But in the United States, cereal still contains artificial colors and BHT, a chemical preservative.

On Tuesday, activists said they would deliver petitions with more than 400,000 signatures calling on WK Kellogg to remove artificial colors and BHT from its cereals. Protesters said there was evidence that artificial dyes can contribute to behavioral problems in children.

“I’m here for all the mothers who struggle to feed their children healthy food without added chemicals,” said Vani Hari, a food activist who already pressured Kraft Heinz to remove artificial colors from its macaroni and cheese.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it has reviewed and evaluated the effects of color additives on children’s behavior, but believes that most children do not suffer adverse effects from consuming them.

WK Kellogg, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, became an independent company last year when its snacks division was spun off to form Kellanova. The latter maintained the international cereal business; now makes Froot Loops with natural dyes for markets such as Australia and the United Kingdom.

WK Kellogg said Tuesday that its food is safe and that all of its ingredients meet federal regulations.

“Today, more than 85% of the cereals we sell do not contain artificial colors,” the company said in a statement. “We continually innovate new cereals that contain no artificial colors across all of our major brands, offering a wide selection of nutritious foods for our consumers.”

Kellogg said it announced its plan to eliminate artificial colors and ingredients nearly a decade ago because it believed customers were looking for foods with natural ingredients and would welcome the change. But the company admitted that it had found that consumer preferences differed greatly across markets.

“For example, our cereal recipes with natural coloring alternatives are better received in the Canadian market than in the United States,” the company said.

Still, Kellogg may have to reconsider its stance. Last month, California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, signed a bill banning six food dyes in foods served in the state’s public schools, making it the first state in the country to adopt a measure. of this type.

The new law passed in California bans four of the dyes currently used in Froot Loops: red dye #40, yellow dye #5, yellow dye #6, and blue dye #1.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels YouTube, WhatsApp and to the newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.