Latest news with #Maha
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Gaza's Maha seeks help amid blockade
Football referee Maha Mohammad Shabat before October 7, 2023 in Berlin (L), and her on July 28, 2025 in Gaza (R). PHOTO COURTEST: MAHA SHABAT "I am living the most difficult days of our lives due to fear, hunger and deprivation," Maha Mohamed Shabbat, a footballer and referee originally from northeastern city of Beit Hanoun in Gaza described her condition amid the artificial famine created by the Israel stretching the total blockade of any food supplies to Gazan for 148 days now, since March 2. She wants the blockade to end, which has pushed the population of 2.1 million, including many infants, to starvation and death. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry in Gaza has stated last week that at least 59,586 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, and many are buried under the rubble. The Israeli Occupation Force is also controlling the aid stations and regularly massacres Palestinians seeking food. The ever-smiling Maha is gentle, but firm and unfathomably brave. She has shown incredible grit, like most in Gaza, as she and her family are now living through the genocide for 1 year, 9 months, 22 days. Before October 7, Maha had dreams of establishing her own club in Gaza for girls. She has worked with several humanitarian organisations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and she was an active member of the Gaza Strip's vibrant football community. "Without sports, my life is worth nothing," she wrote about her motto in August 2023 when she represented her community at the Discover Football Festival: Unseen Game event in Berlin. But in two months, Maha's life turned upside down. She has lost more than 25 family members, including her brother, when he was trying to buy bread in the wake of Israeli attacks in October 2023. Then she lost several of her cousins and their families, including renowned journalist Hossam Shabat, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher and was targeted by Israel for covering the devastation during the genocide and constant attacks. He is among more than 230 journalists murdered by Israel in Gaza since October 2023. The relatives that Maha has lost also include a volunteer and doctor, Dr. Mohammed Shabat, who died along with his family while performing humanitarian duties in Gaza. "My situation is very difficult inside the Gaza Strip because of the continuous bombing, forced displacement, and the difficult economic conditions," she explained to this correspondent as she is now located in Nasr, a West Gazan city, taking shelter at a school. Maha has also been suffering from bouts of low blood pressure and low blood sugar, to the point where when she needed to make videos to send them out to friends outside of Gaza to request donations, she had to hide her body, that is growing thinner with each passing day, and she was having trouble standing stil due to hunger and lack of food. In the past, too, Maha got injured because of the bombing and fell ill due to lack of food and clean water several times during displacement and destruction of her home in Beit Hanoun, where she cannot return and is seeking refuge in shelters since October 2023. "My city is Beit Hanoun. We were unable to reach it. The occupation has taken control of our land and property. Access to it is prohibited," she said with pain and anger. Maha is not only battling her health issues but also needs to take care of her elderly parents. "As for the life of my family, they face many difficulties and problems among family members due to the difficult conditions and the lack of money that is not enough to buy daily sustenance and daily needs, the most important of which is flour that they are unable to obtain. "The parents are elderly and need treatment and medicine. Additionally, my sister needs to complete her university studies, despite the challenging living conditions and fear. The children are the ones who are deprived of food. Health. Now we have malnutrition." $50 a kilo of flour "Our children are exposed to the development of this disease. In Gaza, our children are exposed to losing their lives. Some of them lost their lives due to this disease, and the elderly. I am two people, a number of them are young, I mean, from malnutrition," added Maha. "We have orphan children. Where do these children get the money to buy flour? A kilo of flour costs $50. Sugar costs $100, and it is scarce and unavailable. "Our bodies need sugars and fats, and vitamins to survive," she added. Present and future lost She explained that losing relatives, friends, and colleagues and witnessing all the devastation has also caused her to lose hope in the future. "I used to think that I was the master of my life and future. I am no longer thinking like a master. I am now thinking about where I will get food and where we will cut wood so we can light a fire," she explained how the genocide has changed her outlook in life. "I was thinking of establishing a women's football association in Palestine. We worked and established a team at the Al-Ahly Beit Hanoun Club. "But now, no club has been united in the Gaza Strip or my city of Beit Hanoun. There is no team. They are all scattered. Some are martyrs, some are shooting. Some are displaced to another area in the western Gaza Strip, south of Gaza, searching for safety. There is no safety in the Gaza Strip. Every day, we bid farewell to a martyr and receive the wounded. The attackers are entering hospitals and health tents in the Gaza Strip." Athletes are killed regularly as sports facilities are destroyed The Palestinian Football Association had issued a press release on June 29, 2025, stating that at least 785 Palestinian athletes and sports officials in Gaza and the West Bank had been affected since October 2023, whereas "Israeli attacks have completely or partially destroyed 288 sports facilities, including stadiums, gyms, and club buildings. Of those, 21 were in the occupied West Bank."
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Alleged 'Datuk Seri' scam claims more victims in Kuala Lumpur
KUALA LUMPUR: Two more individuals are believed to have fallen victim to a scam involving a man falsely claiming to hold the honorific title of "Datuk Seri." Two days ago, MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong revealed that his office had received six reports from individuals who were allegedly scammed by a person posing as a "Datuk Seri." One victim reportedly lost RM400,000 to the individual, who claimed to be running an investment scheme. Chong mentioned that the man in question had previously contacted his office and requested a press conference to clear his name, but later withdrew, citing health concerns. "He claimed he couldn't attend due to high blood pressure," Chong told reporters at a press conference held at Wisma MCA on Monday (July 28). Following the exposure of the alleged scam, Chong said the individual had threatened legal action against both him and the Council of Datuk-Datuk Malaysia (MDDM). "We have no intention of apologising. If he truly holds the title, he should come forward and prove its authenticity. He claims to be a 'Datuk Seri' with the phrase 'Ahli Istana Anak Angkat' above his name - but is that legitimate?' Chong questioned. Chong also displayed a copy of an identity card allegedly belonging to the man's partner, who referred to herself as "Putri," noting that the listed residential address was linked to the title "Undang Luak Johol Ke-14." He said the documents would be submitted to the Datuk Lembaga Suku Biduanda Raja Balang Luak Johol for verification. Chong urged others who may have fallen victim to the scam to lodge police reports. MDDM president Datuk Samson David Maman said the council had also received two calls from individuals claiming they were deceived by the same person, although the victims had yet to come forward. "We regularly receive complaints about bogus 'Datuk' or 'Datuk Seri' titles. We urge the public to verify any such claims through the official Bahagian Istiadat dan Urusetia Persidangan Antarabangsa website," he said. Meanwhile, Datuk Hamzah Limin, the Datuk Lembaga Suku Biduanda Raja Balang Luak Johol, reiterated that traditional titles under the Luak Johol jurisdiction are only valid if recommended by the Datuk Undang Johol and officially conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan at Istana Besar Seri Menanti. "Any conferment carried out outside of official state ceremonies—such as in hotels or private venues—is not valid," he stressed. Hamzah also warned the public against the misuse of traditional symbols and titles, noting that some individuals have used unauthorised emblems, forged documents, and royal-style language such as "Duli Yang Maha Mulia," which is reserved exclusively for the state ruler. He added that such acts are now punishable under existing laws. "No titles such as 'anak angkat', 'puteri', or 'putera' have been issued by the current Datuk Undang. The public must remain alert to avoid being misled," he said.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
RFK Jr wants bright artificial dyes out of food. Are Americans ready to let go?
The Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement celebrated this month after the US dairy industry voluntarily pledged to remove all artificial dyes from ice-cream by 2028. In April, US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr prevailed upon the food industry to stop using artificial dyes, and many of the nation's largest food manufacturers, including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo, have already promised to comply. But the ice-cream pledge made Kennedy especially happy because, he said, ice-cream is his favorite food. Prepare to say goodbye to the brilliant pink (from red dye No 40) that signifies strawberry, the cool green (yellow 5 and blue 1) of mint chocolate chip, and the heroic combination of red 40, blue 1, and yellow 5 and 6 that makes up Superman. One of the goals of the Maha movement is to prevent childhood diseases, which Kennedy argues can be accomplished by, among other things, addressing the use of additives in ultra-processed foods. A recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics calculated that, in 2020, 19% of food products contained artificial dyes – 'the most egregious' additive, according to Kennedy. Those dyes, he claims, are responsible for a host of health issues, including cancer, hyperactivity and possibly autism. 'The American people have made it clear – they want real food, not chemicals,' Kennedy said in a statement. Aside from jokes on social media about Donald Trump's skin tone and Kennedy's alleged use of methylene blue (an artificial dye that some claim boosts 'mitochondrial efficiency' and longevity), the initiative has faced little political opposition. In January, when Joe Biden was still president, the FDA announced a ban on red dye No 3 scheduled to go into effect in 2027. Red 3, the FDA explained, was shown to cause cancer in rats, and while it does not show up in food in large enough quantities to affect humans, it still violates a law forbidding additives that contain carcinogens. Meanwhile, states as politically varied as West Virginia, Texas and California have already established their own bans or requirements that foods containing artificial dyes carry warning labels, citing the need to protect kids. (In the UK and the EU, restrictions on artificial dyes have been in place for years.) Why the fuss over food coloring? Are natural dyes really that much better for our health? 'They're better for some people's health,' says Jamie Alan, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. 'There is a very small percentage of children who are very sensitive to these dyes. And when they eat these dyes, they display behaviors that we sometimes associate with ADHD.' Alan stresses that there is no evidence that those kids actually develop ADHD. But research has found that after eating foods containing certain dyes, children, including those diagnosed with ADHD or autism, can show signs of hyperactivity, moodiness and inattentiveness. However many of these foods, particularly candy and soda, also contain sugar, which has also been connected to hyperactive behavior. Alan recommends that parents talk to a pediatrician and try an elimination diet to make sure the dye and not another ingredient is to blame. But she largely supports phasing out artificial dyes; most public health advocates think this is a good idea. 'In my opinion,' Alan says, 'because we're talking about children and because they are a vulnerable population, I do think this is a great thing to do. But I will recognize that it is not going to impact the vast majority of the population.' One group that the change in dyes will certainly affect is the food manufacturers themselves. Switching from artificial to natural dyes is a complex process, says Travis Zissu, the co-founder and innovation lead of Scale Food Labs in Golden, Colorado, which offers a program to help manufacturers with the dye conversion. Unlike artificial dyes, which are derived from petroleum, natural dyes come mostly from plants: turmeric, for example, is used for yellows; algae and butterfly pea flower for blues; lycopene from carrots and tomatoes for reds. These dyes can be less stable, so Scale's program begins with finding natural pigments that will not be affected by heat and other chemicals, followed by tests to determine which combination of dyes will produce the most reliable color. Next, Scale helps companies lock in contracts that will not force them to raise their prices too much and secure light-sensitive packaging to protect the colors. Finally, there are nine to 12 months of product testing to make sure production runs smoothly and that there are no adverse effects for consumers, such as red-dyed feces (something that has been known to happen with beet powder and extract; Alan says it's harmless, but admits it can be unnerving). But Zissu's biggest concern is that there won't be enough to go around. Natural color demand is already up between 30-50% across the industry since food companies began announcing their intentions to stop using artificial color, he says, and the earliest deadline – 2027 – is still years away. 'There is simply not enough supply to replace every single item in the market,' he says. 'You'll see the largest companies locking down colors soon, but there will not be enough until 2030.' There is also the worry that American consumers will reject the new colors altogether. While their counterparts in Europe, Canada and Japan have peacefully accepted the duller hues of natural dyes, Americans remain stubbornly attached to neon-bright candy and cereal. Case in point: in 2015, General Mills pledged to remove all artificial colors and flavorings from its products. The following year, it rolled out a natural version of Trix, the kid-friendly fruity breakfast cereal. But the muted Trix, colored by radishes, purple carrots and turmeric, was a flop. Customers missed the vibrant colors and complained that the new version didn't taste right. By 2017, 'classic Trix' had returned to grocery stores. On the other hand, when Kraft reformulated the powder for its macaroni and cheese and quietly began selling the all-natural version in December 2015, there was much less protest. As an Eater headline at the time put it: 'Kraft Changed Its Mac and Cheese and Nobody Noticed.' Perhaps it was the marketing strategy – Kraft did not bother to make a big announcement until after it had sold 50m boxes – or maybe it was because the natural dyes were just as orange as the original. (Alan recalls that her young nieces and nephews were slightly worried about the change but accepted the new mac and cheese without much fuss.) As the adage goes, we eat with our eyes. The appearance of food should not change our perceptions of how it tastes, but, as anyone who has ever bought produce knows, it definitely does. In nature, brighter colors indicate that foods are ripe and will taste good. This principle also applies to human-made food. As far back as the middle ages, according to Ai Hisano, a professor of business history at the University of Tokyo and author of Visualizing Taste: How Business Changed the Look of What You Eat, dairy farmers would mix carrot juice and annatto from achiote trees into their butter to make it a more appetizing yellow. When scientists discovered petroleum-based dyes in the mid-19th century, the dairy industry was one of the earliest adopters: the artificial dyes were cheaper, and they helped create uniform yellows for butter and cheese that appealed to shoppers. Other food producers quickly followed suit. Meat would be red! Sandwich bread would be white! Oranges – which sometimes stayed green, even when they were ripe – would be orange! By the early 20th century, the US government had started regulating food coloring to make sure it didn't kill anyone. This was also the beginning of the golden age of industrial food such as candy, breakfast cereal and, most notoriously, Jell-O, which came in colors never seen in nature. Food dye became vital for branding, Hisano writes. Even if brighter color didn't really affect flavor because the food was entirely manufactured, people perceived that it did, and that was what mattered. Would a beige Flamin' Hot Cheeto taste as spicy? 'I assume many consumers in the early 20th century were frightened by those bright-red foods,' Hisano told the Atlantic in 2017. 'But one reason consumers liked them is because they were excited about these colors they had never seen before.' And the knowledge that they were regulated by the FDA made them feel they were safe to eat. Because the identity of their products depends on color, the most resistance to Kennedy's initiative has come from America's candy manufacturers. A spokesman for the National Confectioners Association said that candy makers will not adopt natural dyes until federal regulations compel them to. Of all the biggest US food companies, only Mars, maker of M&Ms, Skittles and Starburst (incidentally, Trump's favorite candy), has not yet pledged to give up artificial dye, except for the already banned red 3. However, FDA commissioner Marty Makary told Fox News that he thinks Mars will come around sooner than later. Zissu, the food dye consultant, foresees 'an R&D sprint' to develop natural dyes before the 2027 deadline. And indeed, since May, the FDA has approved four new natural colors – three blues and one white – for a wide range of food, including juices, milk-based meal replacements, cereal, chips, sugar and ready-to-eat chicken products. But Zissu does not think that a transition to natural dyes means that the color of food will revert to a pre-industrial dullness. 'I believe we will always see the bright colors in candy and other items that consumers come to expect,' he says. 'There will just be a lot more research dedicated to getting those colors if artificial [dye] is banned.' It may also help if America's food manufacturers act en masse, as they appear to be doing: the change will be so overwhelming that, as Zissu puts it, 'neon synthetics will look as dated as trans fats.' Perhaps in a few years, we will look back at green mint chip ice-cream in wonder. (Some people already do: many ice-cream producers, including Ben & Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs, don't use green as the signifier for mint.) It seems Maha is poised to help shake America of its affair with artificial colors. But it celebrates this victory at the same time as the Trump administration guts public health infrastructure. The ice-cream industry's pledge came just 11 days after Congress passed a spending bill that will cut Medicaid spending, and therefore healthcare for millions of children, and slash Snap food assistance for US families. It came the same day that the Department of Health laid off thousands of employees. Under Trump, the government has also cut research grants to scientists studying, among other things, disease prevention and vaccines (of which Kennedy is a notorious skeptic). Underlying issues such as food and housing insecurity and child poverty that devastate children's wellbeing are likely to worsen. Alan thinks that if Kennedy is serious about improving the health of America's kids, there are much more pressing issues than food dye to work on. 'I just can't believe that someone would be given a chance to make such an impact,' she says, 'and this is what they choose to do.'
United News of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Mumbai on orange alert as IMD warns of more heavy rain
States » West Mumbai July 26( UNI) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday extended the orange alert for Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad districts till today, warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places. Meanwhile, the neighbouring Palghar district remains under a red alert. Mumbai continued to reel under heavy rain today, with several areas experiencing intense showers in the early morning following an overnight downpour. The relentless rainfall led to waterlogging, traffic disruptions, and renewed fears of flooding in low-lying areas. UNI AAA AAB More News Mumbai on Orange alert as IMD warns of more heavy rain 26 Jul 2025 | 9:33 AM Mumbai July 26( UNI) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today extended the orange alert for Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad districts till today, warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places. see more.. Maha CM meets several leaders in Delhi for state development projects 26 Jul 2025 | 2:35 AM Mumbai / New Delhi, July 25 (UNI) In pursuit of various development projects for Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held meetings with several key leaders in Delhi over the past two days. see more.. Sanjay Raut claims Maha to get 'New Cabinet' as Sena daily reveals 'hitlist' 26 Jul 2025 | 12:51 AM Mumbai, July 25 (UNI) Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and chief party spokesperson Sanjay Raut today made a big claim that Maharashtra is likely to get a "new cabinet" soon, even as Friday's edition of the Sena-run Marathi daily newspaper 'Saamna' named eight ministers in the BJP-led Mahayuti government, who may be removed from their posts. "There is a chaotic atmosphere in the state government. Now that the situation has gone out of hand, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has reached Delhi and the Maharashtra government is under the control of (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah. A situation has arisen, and big decisions are going to be taken. I have been saying that four ministers will exit from the cabinet. Now, discussions are underway in Delhi to clean up the cabinet and bring in a new cabinet," Raut said. see more.. Maha: Radhanagari irrigation dam overflowing 26 Jul 2025 | 12:48 AM Kolhapur, Jul 25 (UNI) The Radhanagari irrigation dam, the main drinking water resource of Maharashtra's Kolhapur city and neighbouring areas, was filled to its capacity at 10-05 pm tonight with its third and sixth automatic door open. see more..
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
RFK Jr wants bright artificial dyes out of food. Are Americans ready to let go?
The Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement celebrated this month after the US dairy industry voluntarily pledged to remove all artificial dyes from ice-cream by 2028. In April, US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr prevailed upon the food industry to stop using artificial dyes, and many of the nation's largest food manufacturers, including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo, have already promised to comply. But the ice-cream pledge made Kennedy especially happy because, he said, ice-cream is his favorite food. Prepare to say goodbye to the brilliant pink (from red dye No 40) that signifies strawberry, the cool green (yellow 5 and blue 1) of mint chocolate chip, and the heroic combination of red 40, blue 1, and yellow 5 and 6 that makes up Superman. One of the goals of the Maha movement is to prevent childhood diseases, which Kennedy argues can be accomplished by, among other things, addressing the use of additives in ultra-processed foods. A recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics calculated that, in 2020, 19% of food products contained artificial dyes – 'the most egregious' additive, according to Kennedy. Those dyes, he claims, are responsible for a host of health issues, including cancer, hyperactivity and possibly autism. 'The American people have made it clear – they want real food, not chemicals,' Kennedy said in a statement. Aside from jokes on social media about Donald Trump's skin tone and Kennedy's alleged use of methylene blue (an artificial dye that some claim boosts 'mitochondrial efficiency' and longevity), the initiative has faced little political opposition. In January, when Joe Biden was still president, the FDA announced a ban on red dye No 3 scheduled to go into effect in 2027. Red 3, the FDA explained, was shown to cause cancer in rats, and while it does not show up in food in large enough quantities to affect humans, it still violates a law forbidding additives that contain carcinogens. Meanwhile, states as politically varied as West Virginia, Texas and California have already established their own bans or requirements that foods containing artificial dyes carry warning labels, citing the need to protect kids. (In the UK and the EU, restrictions on artificial dyes have been in place for years.) Why the fuss over food coloring? Are natural dyes really that much better for our health? 'They're better for some people's health,' says Jamie Alan, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. 'There is a very small percentage of children who are very sensitive to these dyes. And when they eat these dyes, they display behaviors that we sometimes associate with ADHD.' Alan stresses that there is no evidence that those kids actually develop ADHD. But research has found that after eating foods containing certain dyes, children, including those diagnosed with ADHD or autism, can show signs of hyperactivity, moodiness and inattentiveness. However many of these foods, particularly candy and soda, also contain sugar, which has also been connected to hyperactive behavior. Alan recommends that parents talk to a pediatrician and try an elimination diet to make sure the dye and not another ingredient is to blame. But she largely supports phasing out artificial dyes; most public health advocates think this is a good idea. 'In my opinion,' Alan says, 'because we're talking about children and because they are a vulnerable population, I do think this is a great thing to do. But I will recognize that it is not going to impact the vast majority of the population.' One group that the change in dyes will certainly affect is the food manufacturers themselves. Switching from artificial to natural dyes is a complex process, says Travis Zissu, the co-founder and innovation lead of Scale Food Labs in Golden, Colorado, which offers a program to help manufacturers with the dye conversion. Unlike artificial dyes, which are derived from petroleum, natural dyes come mostly from plants: turmeric, for example, is used for yellows; algae and butterfly pea flower for blues; lycopene from carrots and tomatoes for reds. These dyes can be less stable, so Scale's program begins with finding natural pigments that will not be affected by heat and other chemicals, followed by tests to determine which combination of dyes will produce the most reliable color. Next, Scale helps companies lock in contracts that will not force them to raise their prices too much and secure light-sensitive packaging to protect the colors. Finally, there are nine to 12 months of product testing to make sure production runs smoothly and that there are no adverse effects for consumers, such as red-dyed feces (something that has been known to happen with beet powder and extract; Alan says it's harmless, but admits it can be unnerving). But Zissu's biggest concern is that there won't be enough to go around. Natural color demand is already up between 30-50% across the industry since food companies began announcing their intentions to stop using artificial color, he says, and the earliest deadline – 2027 – is still years away. 'There is simply not enough supply to replace every single item in the market,' he says. 'You'll see the largest companies locking down colors soon, but there will not be enough until 2030.' There is also the worry that American consumers will reject the new colors altogether. While their counterparts in Europe, Canada and Japan have peacefully accepted the duller hues of natural dyes, Americans remain stubbornly attached to neon-bright candy and cereal. Case in point: in 2015, General Mills pledged to remove all artificial colors and flavorings from its products. The following year, it rolled out a natural version of Trix, the kid-friendly fruity breakfast cereal. But the muted Trix, colored by radishes, purple carrots and turmeric, was a flop. Customers missed the vibrant colors and complained that the new version didn't taste right. By 2017, 'classic Trix' had returned to grocery stores. On the other hand, when Kraft reformulated the powder for its macaroni and cheese and quietly began selling the all-natural version in December 2015, there was much less protest. As an Eater headline at the time put it: 'Kraft Changed Its Mac and Cheese and Nobody Noticed.' Perhaps it was the marketing strategy – Kraft did not bother to make a big announcement until after it had sold 50m boxes – or maybe it was because the natural dyes were just as orange as the original. (Alan recalls that her young nieces and nephews were slightly worried about the change but accepted the new mac and cheese without much fuss.) As the adage goes, we eat with our eyes. The appearance of food should not change our perceptions of how it tastes, but, as anyone who has ever bought produce knows, it definitely does. In nature, brighter colors indicate that foods are ripe and will taste good. This principle also applies to human-made food. As far back as the Middle Ages, according to Ai Hisano, a professor of business history at the University of Tokyo and author of Visualizing Taste: How Business Changed the Look of What You Eat, dairy farmers would mix carrot juice and annatto from achiote trees into their butter to make it a more appetizing yellow. When scientists discovered petroleum-based dyes in the mid-19th century, the dairy industry was one of the earliest adopters: the artificial dyes were cheaper, and they helped create uniform yellows for butter and cheese that appealed to shoppers. Other food producers quickly followed suit. Meat would be red! Sandwich bread would be white! Oranges – which sometimes stayed green, even when they were ripe – would be orange! By the early 20th century, the US government had started regulating food coloring to make sure it didn't kill anyone. This was also the beginning of the golden age of industrial food such as candy, breakfast cereal and, most notoriously, Jell-O, which came in colors never seen in nature. Food dye became vital for branding, Hisano writes. Even if brighter color didn't really affect flavor because the food was entirely manufactured, people perceived that it did, and that was what mattered. Would a beige Flamin' Hot Cheeto taste as spicy? 'I assume many consumers in the early 20th century were frightened by those bright-red foods,' Hisano told the Atlantic in 2017. 'But one reason consumers liked them is because they were excited about these colors they had never seen before.' And the knowledge that they were regulated by the FDA made them feel they were safe to eat. Because the identity of their products depends on color, the most resistance to Kennedy's initiative has come from America's candy manufacturers. A spokesman for the National Confectioners Association said that candy makers will not adopt natural dyes until federal regulations compel them to. Of all the biggest US food companies, only Mars, maker of M&Ms, Skittles and Starburst (incidentally, Trump's favorite candy), has not yet pledged to give up artificial dye, except for the already banned red 3. However, FDA commissioner Marty Makary told Fox News that he thinks Mars will come around sooner than later. Zissu, the food dye consultant, foresees 'an R&D sprint' to develop natural dyes before the 2027 deadline. And indeed, since May, the FDA has approved four new natural colors – three blues and one white – for a wide range of food, including juices, milk-based meal replacements, cereal, chips, sugar and ready-to-eat chicken products. But Zissu does not think that a transition to natural dyes means that the color of food will revert to a pre-industrial dullness. 'I believe we will always see the bright colors in candy and other items that consumers come to expect,' he says. 'There will just be a lot more research dedicated to getting those colors if artificial [dye] is banned.' It may also help if America's food manufacturers act en masse, as they appear to be doing: the change will be so overwhelming that, as Zissu puts it, 'neon synthetics will look as dated as trans fats.' Perhaps in a few years, we will look back at green mint chip ice-cream in wonder. (Some people already do: many ice-cream producers, including Ben & Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs, don't use green as the signifier for mint.) It seems Maha is poised to help shake America of its affair with artificial colors. But it celebrates this victory at the same time as the Trump administration guts public health infrastructure. The ice-cream industry's pledge came just 11 days after Congress passed a spending bill that will cut Medicaid spending, and therefore healthcare for millions of children, and slash Snap food assistance for US families. It came the same day that the Department of Health laid off thousands of employees. Under Trump, the government has also cut research grants to scientists studying, among other things, disease prevention and vaccines (of which Kennedy is a notorious skeptic). Underlying issues such as food and housing insecurity and child poverty that devastate children's wellbeing are likely to worsen. Alan thinks that if Kennedy is serious about improving the health of America's kids, there are much more pressing issues than food dye to work on. 'I just can't believe that someone would be given a chance to make such an impact,' she says, 'and this is what they choose to do.'
