CHICAGO, May 5, 2025 —In an early victory for the Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, dairy suppliers have agreed to remove artificial dyes from products they provide to schools participating in federal nutrition programs.
The petroleum-based additives in milks, cheeses and yogurts will be voluntarily replaced with natural alternatives by the start of the 2026-27 school year, according to a trade group representing the producers, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).
It estimates that the change will affect 30 million children who receive free or reduced meals under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. The range extends from kindergarten students to seniors in high school.
The pledge from the association on behalf of its members is a major sign the administration’s effort to eliminate the artificial dyes from America’s food supply is finding traction. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in late April that it would ask food processors to replace petroleum-based coloring agents with natural alternatives on a voluntary basis.
The request has prompted PepsiCo, one of the nation’s largest providers of drinks and snacks, to accelerate its removal of artificial ingredients, according to CEO Ramon Laguarta.
Addressing financial analysts following the company’s release of first-quarter financial results, Laguarta indicated that 60% of the PepsiCo’s product line already contains no artificial coloring agents. The removal should be complete for Lays and Doritos, two of the company’s most popular chip lines, by the end of this year, the CEO said.
For other products, “we’re going to be accelerating the transition,” Laguarta said. He cited a timeframe of “the next couple years.”
“Ideally, we can do this in a very pragmatic, orchestrated way as an industry and not create unnecessary panic or chaos,” Laguarta said. PepsiCo anticipates no significant impact on its business from the FDA’s request, he added.
In addition to removing artificial dyes, dairy producers will continue to reduce the amount of sugar they add to products served to youngsters via school nutrition programs, their association said.
"The dairy industry is voluntarily driving change and giving consumers what they want, without government mandates,” Brooke Rollins, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), said in the announcement from the dairy association. The USDA administers the federal school lunch and breakfast programs.
“I thank IDFA and the dairy industry for leading the way and look forward to other industries thinking about how together, we can Make America Healthy Again,” Rollins said.
As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.