Mistakes, beets and Barbie Pink: How scientists interfere with natural solutions to follow RFK JR.

St. Louis (AP) – When the pressure growsartificial colorsThe exchange of US food can begin with the ABBY TAMPOW laborator.

In the afternoon of April, the scientist floated with a red dye above the tiny dishes, each of which was slightly different in the ruby ​​tone. His task? To match the synthetic shade used for years in commercial -bottled raspberry vinaigret -but using only natural ingredients.

“With this red it needs a little more orange,” said Tampow, mixing a slippery black carrot juice slurry with a little beta-carotene made of algae orange-red color.

Tampow is part of Sensient Technologies Corp. The team, one of the world's largest dynamers that rushes to the salad dresser – with thousands of other American companies – fulfills the demands to change the colors used to stimulate products to cereal drinks.

“Most of our clients have decided that this is the end of the time when they start to change this natural color,” said Dave Gebhardt, Senior's Senior Technical Director. He joined the recent tour at the Sensient Colors factory. In the neighborhood of Louis.

Last week are US health officialsplans announcedTo persuade food companies with oil -based artificial dyes voluntarily by the end of 2026.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy JR called them the health and development of children as endangered toxic compounds, referring to limited evidence of possible health risks.

Federal impetus followsState lawsand aJanuary decisionForbidden an artificial dye known as the Red 3 – cakes, candies and some drugs due to cancer risks of laboratory animals. Social media influencers and ordinary consumers have increased calls for food removal.

Changing natural colors may not be fast

The FDA allows about three dozen color additives, including eight remaining synthetic dyes. However, turning petroleum -based dyes into colors derived from vegetables, fruits, flowers and even insects are not easy, fast or cheap, said Monica Giusti, a food coloring expert at Ohio State University.

“After the study, it has shown that if all companies remove synthetic colors from their compositions, providing natural alternatives is not enough,” Giusti said. “We're not really ready.”

It may take six months to a year to make the synthetic dye of the individual product natural. And the officials of the mind said it could require three to four years to create the provision of botanical products for the entire industry.

“It's not as if there were £ 150 million beet juice waiting for the opportunity to convert the entire market,” said Paul Manning, CEO of the company. “Tens of millions of pounds of these products need to be grown, pulled out of the ground, extracted.”

In order to make natural dyes, sensitive work is done worldwide with farmers and manufacturers to clean the raw materials that usually reach the factory as bulk concentrates. They are processed and mixed into liquids, pellets or powders, and then sent to food companies to the final products.

Natural dyes are harder to make and use than artificial colors. Manning said they are less consistent, less stable and may be related to acidity, heat and light. Blue is particularly complex. There are not many natural sources of color and those that exist are difficult to maintain during processing.

Also, the natural color costs about ten times more than the synthetic version, estimated.

“How do you get the same vivid right, the same performance, the same level of safety as in a synthetic product?” He said. “There is a lot of complexity related to it.”

Insects that could make a “Barbie pink” naturally

Companies have long been using red 3 synthetic dyes to create what officials describe as “Barbie Pink”.

To create a color with this natural source, you may need to use a cohineal, which is about pepper -related insect.

Female insects release a bright red pigment, carmico acid in the body and eggs. The bugs live only in Peru and elsewhere on the pear pears. 1 kilogram, about 2.2 pounds, are needed to get a dye about 70,000 cordial insects.

“Interestingly, the most exotic colors are found in the most exotic places,” said Norb Norbre, who travels to find new shades in the world.

Artificial colorsUsed widely in US foods. About 1 of five US foods contain additional colors, be it natural or synthetic, estimated. Many contain several colors.

The FDA requires a sample of each batch of synthetic colors for testing and certification. The color supplements from plant, animal or mineral sources are released, but the agency has evaluated them.

HealthmakersHas long been inviting food removal from food, referring to mixed research showing that they can cause neuro -behavioral problems in some children, including hyperactivity and attention problems.

The US Food and Drug Administration states that approved dyes are safe for use according to regulations and that most children have no harmful effects on the consumption of foods containing color additives.

But critics note that the added colors are the main componentUltra -processed foods,that make up more than 70% of the US diet and are associated with a number of chronic health problems including heart disease, diabetes andobesityTo.

“I am all to get artificial food colors out of food,” said food policy expert Marion Nestle. “They are strictly cosmetic, have no health or safety purpose, are markers of ultra -professional foods and can be harmful to some children.”

A cautious story of Trix cereals

The color is a powerful engine for consumer behavior and changes can be a setback, Giusti noted. In 2016, a food giant General Millsremoved artificial dyesTrix of cereals after consumer requests, transition to natural sources, including turmeric, strawberries and radishes.

However, cereals lost neon paints, resulting in more muted tones – and consumer setback. Trix fans said they lost the vivid colors of the cereals and the familiar taste. In 2017, the company turned back.

“If it is a product you already love to be used to consuming, and it changes a bit, it may not really be the same experience,” Giusti said. “To proclaim the regulatory change is one step, but then the implementation is another matter.”

Health Secretary Kennedy said US officials have a gradual “understanding” with food companies. Industry officials told the Associated Press that there was no official agreement.

However, many companies have said that they are planning to speed up the natural colors of some products.

Ramon Laguarta, CEO of PepsicoSaid most of its products are already artificial colors and that the years and tostitus brands gradually separate them by the end of this year. He said that the company was going to gradually – or at least offer consumers a natural alternative to consumers in the coming years.

Representatives of General Mills said they were committed to continuing the conversation with the administration. WK Kelloggi officials said they formulate cereals used in state school lunch programs to eliminate artificial dyes, and stop all new products containing them in January next year.

Sensitive officials would not confirm which companies want to change, but they said they were ready for a big rise.

“Now that there's a date there is a timetable,” Manning said. “It certainly requires action.”

This story was originally reflected on Fortune.com