Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s strategy as head of the Department of Health and Human Services is bearing fruit with regard to ice cream as various federal agencies announce that International Dairy Foods Associated will stop using artificial dyes by 2028.
HHS will partner with the Department of Agriculture — along with the Food and Drug Administration — to help carry out the process.
The dairy industry has voluntarily pledged to eliminate the use of Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from ice cream and other frozen dairy desserts by 2028, according to the HHS website.
Kennedy has made this a top priority in line with his mandate from President Donald Trump to “Make American Healthy Again.”
This agenda specifically regards artificial dyes, which he has stated can contribute to chronic illness, especially in children.
“I applaud the International Dairy Foods Association for stepping up to eliminate certified artificial colors,” Kennedy said. “The American people have made it clear — they want real food, not chemicals.”
He added, “Together with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, we’re holding the food industry accountable and driving a nationwide effort to Make America Healthy Again.”
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins remarked: “I appreciate IDFA members for spearheading this new initiative and finding ways to promote President Trump’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. Each one of these endeavors helps families make better choices and pursue healthier lives.”
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said the move represented a “significant shift” in how food companies are responding to the Trump administration’s campaign to focus on making Americans healthier by upgrading their dietary choices.
Are you a fan of ice cream?
“By voluntarily removing artificial dyes, the dairy industry is leading the way toward cleaner ingredients and greater consumer trust,” Makary said. “At FDA, we’re proud to support this kind of proactive leadership that puts families and public health first.”
Michael Dykes, who serves as president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, expressed pride at the announcement and highlighted how important ice cream is to Americans.
“Americans are passionate about their ice cream,” he said. “And the IDFA Ice Cream Commitment will ensure wholesome, indulgent ice cream products made with real milk from American dairy farmers remain a special part of our lives as state and federal policies evolve.”
This is just one in a series of recent wins for Kennedy after he issued an ultimatum earlier this year to major food companies — including PepsiCo and Kraft Heinz — to remove all artificial food dyes from their products.
Kennedy called the agenda a “strong desire and urgent priority” of the White House.
Late last month, Hershey announced plans to remove synthetic food dyes from its snack and candy products by the end of 2027, saying it would eliminate artificial dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1.
One question comes to mind, however: Why did it take so long for this to happen? It seems long overdue.
It happened because America now has an active HHS that seems to care about the end consumer. The country is still waiting for Kennedy to make major moves against Big Pharma, but the nation appears to be making forward progress on the health issue.
Improving a country’s overall health can help contribute to its freedom, and it seems the United States is taking small steps every day toward rooting out harmful ingredients in our food supply so we can do just that.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
