Since becoming Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken aim at coloring compounds in foods, drinks, and medical products, claiming that they can compromise people’s health. In the recently released Make America Healthy Again report , Kennedy and others mention food colorings and note data connecting some to behavioral issues in children. HHS has already taken steps to ban some synthetic food dyes and replace them with natural-based alternatives, and plans to introduce more naturally derived options.

Synthetic dyes are generally made from petroleum and concocted in labs. Their rich and deep shades are often not found in nature. (Think bright-red Jell-O—courtesy of Red 40—and Mountain Dew, made neon by Yellow 5.)

The transition from artificial food dy

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