Bugs, beets, and Barbie pink: How scientists are mixing up natural solutions to comply with RFK Jr.’s crackdown on artificial colors

street. Lewis (AP) – with pressure growth to getArtificial colorsFrom American food supply, the shift in the office of the Abby Tampow Laboratory may begin.

In the afternoon, the world hovers over small dishes of red dye, each of them is a little different. Its mission? To suit the artificial shade used for years in Vinaigrettte, the berries packed in bottles – but only using natural ingredients.

“With this red color, it needs more orange,” said Tambo, which mixes the mortar of purple black carrot juice with a little beta -carotene, an orange red color made of algae.

Tampow is part of the Sensient Technology Corp. One of the world’s largest conflict makers, rushing to help the manufacturer to wear power clothes – along with thousands of other American companies – meet demands to repair the colors used to shine products from grains to sports drinks.

“Most of our customers have decided that this is the time when they will turn into a natural color,” said Dave Gibhardt, the main coach of Sensient. Join a modern tour of the allergic color plant in the north of St. Louis.

Last week, American health officialsPlans announcedTo persuade foodstuffs to voluntarily get rid of petroleum -based dyes by the end of 2026.

They were called Minister of Health Robert F. Kennedy Junior “toxic compounds” that endangered children’s health and developing children, noting limited evidence of possible health risks.

Federal batch tracks a waveState lawsandJanuary decisionTo prohibit the artificial dye known as Red 3 – found in cakes, sweets and some medications – due to the risk of cancer in laboratory animals. The effects of social media and ordinary consumers have formed invitations to remove artificial colors from foods.

The change in natural colors may not be quickly

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows about three dozens of color -added materials, including eight remaining artificial dyes. Monica Gest, a color expert at Ohio State University, said that making a change from oil -based dyes to colors derived from vegetables, fruits, flowers and even insects will not be easy, fast or cheap.

“After the study, the study showed that if all companies will remove artificial colors from their combinations, the supply of natural alternatives will not be sufficient.” “We are not really ready.”

It may take from six months to a year to convert one product from an artificial dye into a natural product. Sensitive officials said that it may require three to four years to build the supply of plant products needed to transform the industry level.

“It is not as if there were 150 million pounds of beet juice, which is sitting waiting for the opportunity that the entire market may make,” said Paul Manning, CEO of the company. “Tens of millions of pounds of these products need their growth, pulling them from the ground, and extracting them.”

To make natural dyes, Sensient works with farmers and producers all over the world to harvest raw materials, which usually reach the factory as large concentrations. It is treated and mixed in fluids, grains or powders, then it is sent to food companies to add to the final products.

Natural dyes are difficult to make and use from artificial colors. Manning said it is less consistent in color, less stable and undergoing acidity, heat and light changes. Blue is especially difficult. There are not many natural sources of color and can be difficult to maintain during treatment.

Also, the natural color costs about 10 times to make it from the artificial version, the estimated manung.

“How do you get the same vitality, the same performance, the same level of safety in this product as you do in an artificial product?” He said. “There is a lot of complexity associated with that.”

Insects that can make “Barbie Pink” naturally

Companies have always used the Red 3 artificial dye to create what sensory officials describe as “The Barbie Pink”.

To create this color with a natural source, it may require the use of cocinil, an insect around the size of pepper.

Female insects release a vibrant red dye and Carmenic acid in their bodies and eggs. Insects only live on the thorny pear aloe vera in Peru and other places. About 70,000 strong insects are needed to produce 1 kg, about 2.2 pounds, of dye.

“It is interesting how there are more strange colors in the most strange places,” Noured Norberga, who travels the world that explores new shapes.

Synthetic dyesIt is widely used in American foods. About 1 out of every 5 food products in the United States have additional colors, whether natural or artificial, capable. Many of them contain multiple colors.

FDA requires a sample of each group of artificial colors for testing and issuing certificates. Added color additions from plant, animal or metal sources are exempted, but they are evaluated by the agency.

Health defendersHe has long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies indicating that they could cause negative negative problems, including hyperactivity and attention, in some children.

The US Food and Drug Administration says that the approved dyes are safe when used according to the regulations and that “most children have no harmful effects when consuming foods that contain colored additives.”

But critics notice that the added colors are a major elementUseful foods,Which represents more than 70 % of the American diet and is associated with a set of chronic health problems, including heart disease and diabetes andobesity.

“I am all to get artificial food dyes from food supply,” Marion said. NestleFood policy expert. “They are strict cosmetics, and they have no purpose of health or safety, and they are signs of very advanced foods and may be harmful to some children.”

A warning story from Trix Cereal

Giusi pointed out that the color is a strong driver for consumer behavior and can bring counter -results. In 2016, giant food millsDiseling of artificial dyesFrom Trix CEREAL after requests from consumers, and turning into natural sources including turmeric, strawberry and radish.

But pills lost neon colors, which led to more silent shapes – consumer reactions. Trix fans said they missed bright colors and the familiar taste of grains. In 2017, the company returned back.

“When you are a product that you already love, you are accustomed to consumption, and changes a little, then it may not be the same experience,” said Giusiti. “The announcement of organizational change is one step, but then the implementation is another.”

Kennedy, the Minister of Health, said that US officials “understand” with food companies to gradually get rid of artificial colors. Industry officials told the Associated Press that there is no official agreement.

However, many companies said they are planning to accelerate the shift to natural colors in some of their products.

CEO of Pepsico Ramon LagharddaMost of its products have already said that it is free of synthetic colors, and that its brands and Tostitos will work on it by the end of this year. He said that the company plans to gradually get rid of artificial colors – or at least provide consumers as a natural alternative – during the next few years.

GM representatives said they were “committed to continuing conversation” with the administration. WK Kelogg officials said they are reformulating the pills used in the country’s school lunch programs to eliminate artificial dyes and will stop any new products containing next January.

Sensory officials will not confirm companies that seek help in the switch, but they said they are ready to rise.

“Now that there has been an appointment, there is a schedule,” Maning said. “It definitely requires work.”

This story was originally shown on Fortune.com