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Food giants Kraft Heinz, General Mills, PepsiCo and Kellogg's have recently announced they are removing artificial food dyes from their brands by the end of 2027. This major shift comes after pressure from concerned consumers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announcing a phasing out of petroleum-based food dyes from the U.S. food supply. What are the potential health risks?Two main health concerns take center stage in this fight to phase out artificial dyes: a potential risk in cancer and hyperactivity in children. For the first concern, a 1987 study by J.F. Borzelleca showed Red No. 3 caused cancer in male lab rats when they were exposed to high levels of the dye. Red No. 3 has been banned from cosmetics and drugs since 1990. Fast forward 35 years later, in January 2025, the FDA banned Red No. 3 from the nation's food supply after a 2022 petition that cited data from the 1987 study. Because of the data presented, the FDA is not allowed to approve the food additive because of the Delaney Clause – a federal law that bans the FDA from approving a food additive if there is evidence that it causes or induces cancer in humans or animals. However, in the same announcement, the FDA maintains Red No. 3 is safe at the levels we consume it, mentioning other studies that showed other animals or humans did not show the same effect. “What the research says is that there’s potential for, right, not that you’re going to have this food dye and you will have cancer, there’s the potential for the increased risk of certain cancers," said Maya Feller, a New York-based nutritionist.Another concern consumers have expressed is a potential link between dyes and hyperactivity in children. While there are studies that suggest food with artificial food dyes can exacerbate hyperactivity in certain children, there is no conclusive evidence artificial dyes cause ADHD. Feller says food containing artificial coloring is already high in sugar, salt and fat. "As a clinician, what I'm going to say is, let's give folks options," Feller said. "The option should be lower in added sugar, lower in the saturated and synthetic fats, and lower in the added salts." Common examples of synthetic petroleum-based food dyes include: Red No. 3Red No. 40Yellow No. 5Green No. 3Blue No. 1Blue No. 2What are some natural food dye alternatives?In addition to removing artificial food coloring in the nation's food supply, the FDA has approved three new color additives from natural sources: Galdieria extract blue, a type of red algae that carries a water-soluble blue pigment; butterfly pea flower extract, which derives from a plant; and calcium phosphate, a mineral compound. Ditching artificial dyes doesn't mean your food has to look lackluster. Taylor Ann Spencer works for our Hearst partners at Delish. She and her team have tested and developed recipes using natural dyes that can be found in any grocery store. Watch the video below to see Spencer's tutorial on adding natural dyes in recipes. Check out Delish's recipes for more detailed instructions: Pink cream cheese frosting colored by freeze-dried strawberriesChipotle vegan queso colored by turmericColor-changing cocktail colored by red cabbage