The FDA will phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes used in Mountain Dew, Fruit Loops and more
'For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,' FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said at a press conference, per CNBC.
The latest initiative is part of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s ongoing efforts to 'Make America Healthy Again.' At this time, the FDA and food companies — including PepsiCo, General Mills, Mars and WK Kellogg — don't have a formal agreement to remove artificial dyes, but an 'understanding,' according to Kennedy.
It's unclear how the agency would enforce this ban if companies refuse to comply.
'There are a number of tools at our disposal,' Makary said. 'I believe in love, let's start in a friendly way and see if we can do this without any statutory or regulatory changes, but we are exploring every tool in the toolbox to make sure this gets done very quickly. And they want to do it — so why go down a complicated road with Congress?'
The FDA is in the process of establishing a 'national standard' and a timeline for food companies to switch over from petroleum-based food dyes to natural alternatives, CNBC reported. The agency is also looking to 'revoke authorization of synthetic food colorings, including those not in production, within the coming weeks,' the outlet specified.
The six dyes being targeted include Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2 and Green No. 3. Food companies are also being urged to phase out Red No. 3 by the end of new year, which is sooner than the 2027 to 2028 deadline previously required.
'For companies that are currently using petroleum-based red dye, try watermelon juice or beet juice,' Makary said. 'For companies currently combining petroleum-based yellow chemical and red dyes together, try carrot juice.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
20 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump has momentum heading into Aug. 1 ‘reciprocal tariff' deadline after Asian trade deals, experts say
WASHINGTON — President Trump has 'leveraged American bargaining power' with three Asian nations this week — and given himself momentum ahead of the looming Aug. 1 deadline for most 'reciprocal tariffs,' experts predict. Trump secured Japan's agreement to pay a 15% tariff on exports to the US while making $550 billion in new investments in America in what he called a 'signing bonus' — while Indonesia and the Philippines said they would accept 19% tariffs on their goods while applying 0% tariffs on US products. 'I was a little bit surprised by the extent to which the US, at least at this stage of the game, has succeeded in striking what seems to me to be quite a hard bargain,' said Pravin Krishna, an economist at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. 3 Experts say President Trump has 'leveraged American bargaining power' with Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines this week — and given himself momentum ahead of the looming Aug. 1 deadline for most 'reciprocal tariffs.' AFP via Getty Images Robert Lawrence, an international trade professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, agreed, saying he was also left stunned that Trump roped in a large Japanese investment in addition to the tariff terms — likening it to his successful demand for a 'golden' US stake in this year's Nippon-US Steel merger deal. 'He's a wheeler-dealer, our president, needless to say, and he's kind of cutting these deals — but he has scared these people, and he's leveraged American bargaining power,' Lawrence said. 'The next one on the block is [South] Korea… for the Koreans, the auto issue is just about as important as for the Japanese.' Wilbur Ross, who served as Trump's commerce secretary during his first term and at one point expressed concern about administration emissaries potentially over-playing their hand, hailed Trump's trio of Asian deals. 'It's very important that people realize why he yoked the three together and announced them at the same time, and I think that's largely to send a message to China that their hope that his tough trade policy would somehow drive the Asian countries to China is simply incorrect,' Ross explained. 'I think the second importance of it is it puts tremendous pressure on the EU to make a deal because they have a great danger of being relatively isolated and relatively stuck with a worse deal.' Trump traveled to Scotland Friday and will meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the weekend to discuss averting a threatened 50% tariff. 3 President Trump secured a trade agreement with Japan to pay a 15% tariff on exports, while Indonesia and the Philippines will pay 19% tariffs on their goods, with US products not being tariffed. The president previously announced deals with Vietnam, which agreed to a 20% tariff — or 40% on items sourced in China — while breaking down barriers to US imports, as well as a UK deal that features a 10% tariffs — with British steel and car exports also paying 10% rather than Trump's much higher sectoral tariffs, in exchange for promises to open UK markets to American ethanol, beef and chicken. China, meanwhile, brokered a cease-fire with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — with the US applying a 30% rate on Chinese goods and China applying a 10% rate on American imports. Meanwhile, the impact of Trump's tariffs — which also include 50% on foreign steel and aluminum and 25% on foreign cars — have been slighter than anticipated thus far on inflation, with the annual increase in consumer prices 2.7% in June. 'The same 'experts' that were loudly spewing doomsday predictions are now quietly looking at their portfolios and planning their early retirement or vacation home purchases,' said Arthur Schwartz, a Republican operative with close ties to the administration. Major challenges remain on the horizon for Trump, however, and academics remain divided on the merits of higher tariffs now padding federal coffers. Krishna, the Hopkins economist, said questions remain about whether the Asian nations that just agreed to steep terms are able to ratify them politically due to the fact that Trump seems to have secured such lopsided terms. He also said that India — initially expected to be one of the first nations to ink a trade deal — faces notable trade-talk road bumps due to the potentially devastating effects on poor farmers who comprise about 45% of the labor force. 'It's a very sensitive sector for India. The Modi government itself, a few years ago, tried some reasonably market-oriented reforms in the agricultural sector.. and they were unable to push that through,' he said. 'That is an extremely challenging thing for the Indian government to manage politically,' Krishna said. 'You're talking about survival-level incomes for a large number of farmers. And to mess with that would be, again, politically challenging and even morally questionable from an Indian standpoint. 3 The US is currently charging China a 30% tariff rate on Chinese goods, while they are charging a 10% rate on American imports. AP Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters 'It really is a question of how much of a change the US wants in terms of reduction of protectionism and so on, and how much India's willing to give up,' he added. It's also unclear how talks with China will end — with the temporary deal set to expire in mid-August, though it may be extended. 'There's a real question whether we will make a deal with [China],' Ross said. 'It's hard for me to imagine that they're going to make very big concessions, and meanwhile, we're collecting very high tariffs. So it's not so clear to me that there's a big, compelling motive for President Trump to make a deal.' China also may be politically constrained by an upcoming Communist Party congress next month and a housing crash that has sapped the nation economically, Ross noted. Lawrence, of Harvard, said that the disruption of Trump's trade wars remains worrying for certain US industries — with carmakers General Motors and Stellantis reporting quarterly income slumps this week — and that he's skeptical of an ensuing boom in US manufacturing employment. 'I personally think it's damaging our economy … We have to be competitive to make sales abroad, not to bludgeon people through threats of tariffs. That's not the way you win friends, and it's also not the way you retain customers,' he said. But Lawrence noted that Trump's delays in implementing 'reciprocal' tariffs initially announced on April 2 likely make them more palatable for the American public and less stinging on their budgets. 'By dragging out the process, it's kind of like the famous boiling of the frog who doesn't quite notice it. [If the] net effect of these tariffs would be to raise the consumer price index by one percentage point or even two, that would be a huge increase, right? But if I told you it was take place over a couple of years, it is going to work out to half a point, or less a fraction each month. Are you going to notice it itself?' he said. 'From the standpoint of, 'How do you want to distribute the shocks?' I think… whether it's negotiating strategy or it's dithering or it's intuition, it actually serves to cushion the blow.'
NBC News
21 minutes ago
- NBC News
Tesla plans 'friends and family' car service in California, regulator says
In an earnings call this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased an expansion of his company's fledgling robotaxi service to the San Francisco Bay Area and other U.S. markets. But California regulators are making clear that Tesla is not authorized to carry passengers on public roads in autonomous vehicles and would require a human driver in control at all times. 'Tesla is not allowed to test or transport the public (paid or unpaid) in an AV with or without a driver,' the California Public Utilities Commission told CNBC in an email on Friday. 'Tesla is allowed to transport the public (paid or unpaid) in a non-AV, which, of course, would have a driver.' In other words, Tesla's service in the state will have to be more taxi than robot. Tesla has what's known in California as a charter-party carrier permit, which allows it to run a private car service with human drivers, similar to limousine companies or sightseeing services. The commission said it received a notification from Tesla on Thursday that the company plans to 'extend operations' under its permit to 'offer service to friends and family of employees and to select members of the public,' across much of the Bay Area. But under Tesla's permit, that service can only be with non-AVs, the CPUC said. The California Department of Motor Vehicles told CNBC that Tesla has had a 'drivered testing permit' since 2014, allowing the company to operate AVs with a safety driver present, but not to collect fees. The safety drivers must be Tesla employees, contractors or designees of the manufacturer under that permit, the DMV said. In Austin, Texas, Tesla is currently testing out a robotaxi service, using its Model Y SUVs equipped with the company's latest automated driving software and hardware. The limited service operates during daylight hours and in good weather, on roads with a speed limit of 40 miles per hour. Robotaxis in Austin are remotely supervised by Tesla employees and include a human safety supervisor in the front passenger seat. The service is now limited to invited users, who agree to the terms of Tesla's 'early access program.' On Friday, Business Insider, citing an internal Tesla memo, reported that Tesla told staff it planned to expand its robotaxi service to the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend. Tesla didn't respond to a request for comment on that report. In a separate matter in California, the DMV has accused Tesla of misleading consumers about the capabilities of its driver assistance systems, previously marketed under the names Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (or FSD). Tesla now calls its premium driver assistance features, 'FSD Supervised.' In owners manuals, Tesla says Autopilot and FSD Supervised are 'hands on' systems, requiring a driver at the wheel, ready to steer or brake at all times. But in user-generated videos shared by Tesla on X, the company shows customers using FSD hands-free while engaged in other tasks. The DMV is arguing that Tesla's license to sell vehicles in California should be suspended, with arguments ongoing through Friday at the state's Office of Administrative Hearings in Oakland. Under California state law, autonomous taxi services are regulated at the state level. Some city and county officials said on Friday that they were out of the loop regarding a potential Tesla service in the state. Stephanie Moulton-Peters, a member of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, said in a phone interview that she had not heard from Tesla about its plans. She urged the company to be more transparent. 'I certainly expect they will tell us and I think it's a good business practice to do that,' she said. Moulton-Peters said she was undecided on robotaxis generally and wasn't sure how Marin County, located north of San Francisco, would react to Tesla's service. 'The news of change coming always has mixed results in the community,' she said. Brian Colbert, another member of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, said in an interview that he's open to the idea of Tesla's service being a good thing but that he was disappointed in the lack of communication. 'They should have done a better job about informing the community about the launch,' he said. Google spinoff Waymo, which is far ahead of Tesla in the robotaxi market, obtained a number of permits from the DMV and CPUC before starting its driverless ride-hailing service in the state. Waymo was granted a CPUC driverless deployment permit in 2023, allowing it to charge for rides in the state. The company has been seeking amendments to both its DMV and CPUC driverless deployment permits as it expands its service territory in the state.
CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
Tesla plans 'friends and family' car service in California, regulator says
In an earnings call this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased an expansion of his company's fledgling robotaxi service to the San Francisco Bay Area and other U.S. markets. But California regulators are making clear that Tesla is not authorized to carry passengers on public roads in autonomous vehicles and would require a human driver in control at all times. "Tesla is not allowed to test or transport the public (paid or unpaid) in an AV with or without a driver," the California Public Utilities Commission told CNBC in an email on Friday. "Tesla is allowed to transport the public (paid or unpaid) in a non-AV, which, of course, would have a driver." In other words, Tesla's service in the state will have to be more taxi than robot. Tesla has what's known in California as a charter-party carrier permit, which allows it to run a private car service with human drivers, similar to limousine companies or sightseeing services. The commission said it received a notification from Tesla on Thursday that the company plans to "extend operations" under its permit to "offer service to friends and family of employees and to select members of the public," across much of the Bay Area. But under Tesla's permit, that service can only be with non-AVs, the CPUC said. The California Department of Motor Vehicles told CNBC that Tesla has had a "drivered testing permit" since 2014, allowing the company to operate AVs with a safety driver present, but not to collect fees. The safety drivers must be Tesla employees, contractors or designees of the manufacturer under that permit, the DMV said. In Austin, Texas, Tesla is currently testing out a robotaxi service, using its Model Y SUVs equipped with the company's latest automated driving software and hardware. The limited service operates during daylight hours and in good weather, on roads with a speed limit of 40 miles per hour. Robotaxis in Austin are remotely supervised by Tesla employees, and include a human in the front passenger seat. The service is now limited to invited users, who agree to the terms of Tesla's "early access program." On Friday, Business Insider, citing an internal Tesla memo, reported that Tesla told staff it planned to expand its robotaxi service to the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend. Tesla didn't respond to a request for comment on that report. In a separate matter in California, the DMV has accused Tesla of misleading consumers about the capabilities of its driver assistance systems, previously marketed under the names Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (or FSD). Tesla now calls its premium driver assistance features, "FSD Supervised." In owners manuals, Tesla says Autopilot and FSD Supervised are "hands on" systems, requiring a driver at the wheel, ready to steer or brake at all times. But in user-generated videos shared by Tesla on X, the company shows customers using FSD hands-free while engaged in other tasks. The DMV is arguing that Tesla's license to sell vehicles in California should be suspended, with arguments ongoing through Friday at the state's Office of Administrative Hearings in Oakland. Under California state law, autonomous taxi services are regulated at the state level. Some city and county officials said on Friday that they were out of the loop regarding a potential Tesla service in the state. Stephanie Moulton-Peters, a member of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, said in a phone interview that she had not heard from Tesla about its plans. She urged the company to be more transparent. "I certainly expect they will tell us and I think it's a good business practice to do that," she said. Moulton-Peters said she was undecided on robotaxis generally and wasn't sure how Marin County, located north of San Francisco, would react to Tesla's service. "The news of change coming always has mixed results in the community," she said. Brian Colbert, another member of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, said in an interview that he's open to the idea of Tesla's service being a good thing but that he was disappointed in the lack of communication. "They should have done a better job about informing the community about the launch," he said. Alphabet's Waymo, which is far ahead of Tesla in the robotaxi market, obtained a number of permits from the DMV and CPUC before starting its driverless ride-hailing service in the state. Waymo was granted a CPUC driverless deployment permit in 2023, allowing it to charge for rides in the state. The company has been seeking amendments to both its DMV and CPUC driverless deployment permits as it expands its service territory in the state.
