ORRVILLE, OH — The Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative has spurred a slate of action plans from the FDA to phase out the use of artificial dyes in CPG products. The J.M. Smucker Co., parent company to brands including Hostess, announced it is making a proactive effort to remove FD&C colors from its products.
“Our commitment to remove FD&C colors from our sugar-free fruit spreads, ice cream toppings and sweet baked goods represents the latest example of our desire to evolve and our ability to continue to innovate to deliver on the expectations of our consumers,” said Mark Smucker, CEO and board chair of J.M. Smucker. “Importantly, this work is ongoing, and we are consistently evaluating consumer behavior to ensure we are addressing any notable changes while maintaining our commitment to offer choice.”
Although most products in the brand’s portfolio do not contain these food dyes, this move will impact certain products in the Hostess portfolio.
“As a food manufacturer, our top priority is to provide safe, quality, affordable and convenient products that meet the needs of our consumers, and this decision supports that commitment,” said John Brase, president and COO. “Our teams are working diligently on reformulation planning while evaluating supply considerations to help ensure we continue to deliver products that delight our consumers.”
Previously, J.M. Smucker reworked the formulation for products such as Uncrustables to remove high-fructose corn syrup and introduced natural ingredients and reduced sugar.
The FDA has made several strides to remove synthetic dyes from the US food supply. In January, the organization revoked the use of Red No. 3 and recently greenlit three natural additives.
