How Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Is Already Reshaping Your Spice Rack
Several states have already banned a number of food dyes and additives, and the Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of Red Dye No. 3.
McCormick & Company may develop new products that align with health-focused food trends, like functional ingredients and high protein content.United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s influence is already being felt throughout the food industry in the United States, and you may soon see its impact on your spice drawer.
In late March, McCormick & Company, one of the largest spice and seasoning brands in the world and a name that's likely in your own pantry, announced on an earnings call that it's working with its restaurant and food manufacturer clients to reformulate products, as customers move away from dyes and other food additives targeted by Kennedy and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
"We are seeing a tick-up in reformulation activity," Brendan Folly, the chief executive officer of McCormick & Company, shared on the call. According to Foley, this is happening across its customer base. Per the executive, this aligns with "what you're seeing and being written out in the news media regarding what we're hearing from the new administration."
However, it's not just the HHS targeting food additives — individual states are taking action, too. In 2023, California passed a law banning four chemicals from food production: Red Dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, and propylparaben.
All of these, with the exception of Red Dye No. 3 in a small number of candied and cocktail cherry products, are already banned from use in food across the European Union.
"We know they are harmful and that children are likely being exposed at a much higher rate than adults," Susan Little, senior advocate for California government affairs at the activist organization Environmental Working Group (EWG), shared at the time. "It makes no sense that the same products food manufacturers sell in California are sold in the EU but without these toxic chemicals. Our kids need to be protected, too."
Related: More Than 10,000 Chemical Food Additives Ended Up in the U.S. Food System — Here's Why
In March of this year, West Virginia passed a similar law, banning the use of Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2, and Green Dye No. 3, along with the preservatives butylated hydroxyanisole and propylparaben, from being used in drugs or food products sold in the state.
As Food & Wine previously reported, the dyes will be barred from use in "any meal served in a school nutrition program" starting on August 1, 2025. The dyes and preservatives will be banned statewide starting January 1, 2028.
"West Virginia ranks at the bottom of many public health metrics, which is why there's no better place to lead the Make America Healthy Again mission," Governor Patrick Morrisey shared in a statement about the law. "By eliminating harmful chemicals from our food, we're taking steps toward improving the health of our residents and protecting our children from significant long-term health and learning challenges."
New York state is working on similar legislation, the New York Food Safety and Disclosure Act, which would not only ban specific chemicals, but also require companies to disclose 'generally recognized as safe' (GRAS) additives on food packaging. Several other states have similar bills in the works, which consumers can track using the EWG's interactive legislation map.
While McCormick & Company is working on reformulating products, the brand notes that only a small number of its goods contain food dyes. Foley explains on the earnings call, "We don't really have a lot of usage of color in our products as you might expect, at least very, very few overall. Now with respect to [changes to] formulations, we are seeing more activity on that, definitely."
Related: States Are Cracking Down on Toxic Food Chemicals — Is Yours One of Them?
In January, the Food and Drug Administration officially banned Red Dye No. 3 over concerns about its connection to cancer, noting that it must be removed from food products by mid-January 2027 and from ingested drugs in 2028. McCormick announced in March that it will be phasing the dye out of its products before the ban goes into effect.
What can you expect from McCormick & Company moving forward? Foley hinted that the brand may soon launch new products to fit consumers' "healthier lifestyles" and align with growing trends like "hydration, functional foods, [and] high protein." Existing products are being reformulated, and consumers can expect new product releases to come.
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