Kraft Will Dim The Bright Yellow Glow Of Its Macaroni And Cheese

By Sam Lewis

Artificial dyes to be removed from three of the company’s products

Known for its popular boxed macaroni and cheese, Kraft has vowed to remove two yellow dyes from three of its macaroni-and-cheese products marketed toward children. The promise comes after an online petition calling for action collected more than 348,000 signatures.

The online petition was started in the spring of 2012 by Vani Hari, the founder of FoodBabe.com and posted to Change.org. The petition declared food dyes called Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6 — both banned in Norway and Austria, with the U.K. eliminating them in food production — as containing carcinogens and associated with long-term health problems. Additionally, the petition claims that artificial dyes cause hyperactivity in kids, with at least one study highlighting the link.

The upcoming change will affect Kraft’s macaroni and cheese in Halloween, winter shapes, and SpongeBob Squarepants products. These products will feature paprika as flavor and food colorant, opposed to artificial dyes. In addition, the amended recipes of these products will contain whole grain partnered with lower sodium and saturated fat. The new formats will begin shipping in early 2014. However, the company’s regular elbow macaroni-and-cheese product with “original flavor” will not be undergoing any changes. Officials at Kraft deny that the new products are in response to the online petition. Instead, the company says it is taking on an effort to develop healthier products. “We’ll continue to make improvement where we can,” says Triona Schmelter, Kraft's vice president of marketing for meals. Schmelter says Kraft currently offers several macaroni and cheese varieties with natural ingredients, including its “Homestyle” options.

Meanwhile, Change.org has another posting regarding artificial dyes. A petition to ban artificial coloration in M&M candies has collected more than 100,000 signatures. It will be interesting to see if the M&M petition renders any change. If it does, the conclusion is almost inevitable that Change.org and consumer opinions are a major influence of some food manufacturers meeting consumer demands, despite Kraft denying their sway of the decision.