Hi there, this is Lisa Leake from 100DaysofRealFood.com and Vani Hari from FoodBabe.com. We recently discovered that several American food products contain harmful additives that are not used – and in some cases banned – in other countries. One of those products is an iconic staple that almost every American, us included, has had at one time or another: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
In the US, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese contains the artificial food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These unnecessary – yet potentially harmful - dyes are not in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in other countries, including the UK, because they were removed due to consumer outcry. Kraft reformulated their product for the UK, but not for their fellow American citizens, and it’s time we demand the same here in the US!
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We are petitioning Kraft to remove all artificial food dyes
from their line of macaroni and cheese products.
Kraft Foods is the largest food company headquartered here in the United States. If Kraft changes their Macaroni and Cheese formula, we know this could inspire other US food companies to follow suit and finally eliminate dangerous artificial food dyes once and for all.
Here are the reasons why Kraft needs to remove Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 from their entire line of Macaroni and Cheese:
Artificial food dyes…
- Are man-made in a lab with chemicals derived from petroleum (a crude oil product, which also happens to be used in gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, and tar).
- Require a warning label in other countries outside the US.
- Have been banned in countries like Norway and Austria (and are being phased out in the UK).
- Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 specifically are contaminated with known carcinogens (a.k.a. an agent directly involved in causing cancer).
- Cause an increase in hyperactivity in children.
- Have a negative impact on children’s ability to learn.
- Have been linked to long-term health problems such as asthma, skin rashes, and migraines.
- Add absolutely no value to the foods we are eating and are used solely for aesthetic purposes only.
To prove this last point we personally tested both the US and UK versions of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and found little difference in color and virtually no difference in taste (see for yourself in the video below).
So please…
- Go to our petition page and sign your name.
- Share our petition with your family and friends!
- Watch our video below to learn more about our mission (and see us taste test the two different mac & cheese products ourselves).
We both grew up eating this product – I even used to feed it to my kids – and it’s available at almost every grocery store across the country. Our kids deserve the same safer version that our friends get overseas!
Join us and demand this change by signing this petition now.
Thank you for all your support – together we can make a difference.
Don’t buy Kraft Mac and Cheese. I don’t. We are not forced to consume this product.
I think it’s WONDERFUL that you guys are doing this! Husband heard you on the radio today….and petition is signed!! Good luck!
So excited to see you and Vani (Food Babe) on NBC Nightly News tonight about Kraft Mac and Cheese. My husband thought I was crazy when I said “There’s Lisa and the Food Babe” like you were friends. Seems like you are. Thanks for all you do.
I used to buy that stuff, but we wanted to eat healthier. Of course the kids still want their favorite foods, so we just make a healthier homemade Mac ‘n’ cheese version. It doesn’t take that much longer to make it. I have it memorized now and the kids love it. Just cook a box of whole grain (or GF) pasta and make some cheese sauce and stir it up. We have made a tofu cheese sauce as well and kids loved it. If I’m in a real hurry, I just use butter and parmesan cheese.
I’m glad to see that you made tonight’s news on KOLO-8 here in Reno, NV. What you say seems to have been largely forgotten by so many although today’s young mothers looking to feed the best to their children are usually the first to take the lead when it comes to feeding their families! As for us, when I am not in the mood for ‘scratch’ cooking I buy Annie’s Organic Shells and Real Aged Cheddar because there are no fake ingrdients and it tastes better than Kraft any day of the week!
As a child in the 1970′s I remember the big scares about artificial dyes such as red dye and others such as tartrazine, preservatives BHA & BHT, nitrates, nitrites etc. including flame retardant, plastics and non-stick coatings such as teflons (yes, all plastics ‘outgas’ and are endocrine disruptors see http://thyroidu.com/1204/thyroid-health-is-tupperware-bpa-free-and-safe-to-use/ ) The so called ‘baby boomer’ generation is supposedly the most ‘preserved’ because our bodies have the highest concentrations of ‘yesterday’s chemicals’ when the USA was really at its stride in terms of manufacturing ‘new and improved’ and ‘space age’ foods-remember Tang the powdered orange drink of astronauts? ‘New and improved by science’ is not always best but overall if it wasn’t for science constantly discovering the facts concerning toxicity of both natural and manmade ingredients we wouldn’t have the knowledge or ability to determine the best options as time goes by.
Let me join in with your many supporters by saying, “Kudos!” I think this campaign is a huge step forward in changing what Americans are being largely invited to consume. I realize we have choices, but this effort not only brings a poignant awareness to unsuspecting consumers, but a vital message to the food industry and our government as well. The people of this country are becoming better informed, and we are fed up. I appreciate that your concern extends beyond that of your own family! Thank you for pioneering, and know this family is behind you.
kraft has a line called kraft dinner smar which has no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives .
i am proud to say i have no kids. so your kids are not my responsibility. leave the product alone
The line is only available in Canada. Also many adults eat and macaroni and cheese too. It’s not just the kids.
I applaud your efforts- and making baby steps in my home too, thanks to you all.
Signed! I fully support this effort. It shocks me that people say “leave this product alone”. As if removing dyes would change the taste or even affect the appearance since they can use natural dyes. I don’t understand why someone would settle for second best.
[...] of my favorite blogs, 100 Days of Real Food, is hosting a petition to grab the attention of Kraft, just like our neighbors over the pond did to [...]
Maybe my question has already been answered but I didn’t read all the responses: So if the UK version does not have artificial dyes then why is the macaroni and cheese still orange instead of white? All cheese is naturally white. If you are eating any orange cheese such as cheddar or american then something orange has been added to make it that color.
[...] of this week of focusing on the physical was interesting. This petition came out this week. I encourage you to take a look and sign. Getting harmful food (that’s [...]
Kraft’s response to this was terribly evasive. But even so, I see the point. They comply to the laws and USDA so maybe our attention is better focused on changing what USDA says is “safe” and not target one brand (since I’m sure there are plenty other Mac and Cheese options with artificial food dyes).
Law take MUCH longer to change. Corporations will change when profits drop. Every single thing in the country is driven by money and money alone. If you see a problem, you find out who is making the most money on it and attack there.
The problem with the food additives, as well as the MSG and other additives in our food is that the FDA is not protecting us. Please google Dr. Blaylock and excitotoxins. Read the material online. I suffered from Fibromyalgia for 20 years, with unrelenting, horrendous pain. It affected the quaity of my life until 2 years ago, I told my husband I wanted to die. I prayed every night for release from this pain, as no treatment or presciption drug worked After reading Dr Blaylocks material, I immediately stopped drinking diet soda and ingesting anything with aspartame. I also stopped eating processed foods. Dr Blaylocks site refered me to a Fibromyalgia study and the rest is history. NO MORE PAIN FROM FIBROMYALGIA — FOR OVER TWO YEARS — IT WAS ALL DUE TO THE ADDITIVES IN THE PROCESSED FOOD AND ASPARTAME. We need to educate the public and have a huge outcry before the FDA will do anything. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing, and if I can help in any way, please contact me
Done
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[...] $2,000,500 to No on 37, and is now making headlines for being the focus of a campaign, launched by 100 Days of Real Food and Food Babe, to stop their use of dangerous artificial food dyes. Kraft is the leading US Food [...]
Your website is very informative!
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[...] was the friendly blue box, made by Kraft. But not anymore, not after reading a blog post from 100daysofrealfood where I learned the [...]
[...] the Kraft petition to get yellow food dye out of their mac and cheese. You can read the full story here. Seriously?!?! Why would you even need yellow food dye if you were actually using real cheese, [...]
I sent an email to Kraft regarding this issue… no response of course lol
[...] Sign the petition asking Kraft to remove all artificial food dyes from their line of macaroni and cheese productsthis petition launched by 100 Days of Real Food. [...]