FYI - Today I am appearing on the Dr. Oz Show along with Vani (aka Food Babe) to discuss our petition - be sure to tune in!
It's been a little over one week since we started a petition to remove artificial food dyes from Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. We have over 228,000 signatures, and counting, and while we heard from Kraft right after the petition launched, it was not the response we were hoping for.
We thought it would be important to share their response and exact letter with you, so you can understand exactly what we are up against.
Below you'll see Kraft's letter to us along with our specific response and reaction in bold.
From Kraft: Hi Lisa and Vani,
Thanks for contacting us. The safety and quality of our products is our highest priority and we take consumer concerns very seriously. We carefully follow the laws and regulations in the countries where our products are sold. So in the U.S., we only use colors that are approved and deemed safe for food use by the Food and Drug Administration.
Our Response: When Kraft found out the safety of artificial food dyes was in question in Europe - why didn't they make the "safety" of U.S. citizens their highest priority, too? Food is food - whether in our country or someone else’s - why not make all Kraft products standardized to the highest safety regulation across the board? Kraft was able to reformulate their products without artificial dyes in the U.K. without noticeably changing the color or taste - we even taste tested it ourselves just to prove this point. We know it can be done; Kraft doesn't have to reinvent the wheel.
To further prove this point - Kraft stated this fact themselves by reformulating Lunchables in the UK without "compromising quality, taste and food safety."
“Kraft Foods UK has no products aimed at children that contain the ingredients highlighted in the FSA [Southampton] study. . . . [W]ith our recent Lunchables reformulation in the UK, we reduced fat and salt, as well as removed artificial colours and flavours. Without compromising quality, taste and food safety, we will continue to see where we can make changes and still meet consumer expectations.”—Kraft Foods UK (Quote Taken from AllergyKids Foundation)
Because Kraft has not willingly and proactively reformulated their products in the US, it's obvious to us that Kraft’s highest priority is their bottom line. We are asking Kraft, a multi-billion dollar company, to be the leader in the US Food Industry by voluntarily removing artificial dyes and owning up to the statements they make about safety and quality of their products.
From Kraft: We expanded our line of KRAFT Mac & Cheese (KMC) offerings. We know some people prefer foods without certain ingredients -- we now offer a multitude of products without added colors, as well as products with natural food colors including:
- KMC Organic White Cheddar
- KMC Organic Cheddar
- KMC White Cheddar
- KMC Alfredo
- KMC Deluxe Original Cheddar
- KMC Deluxe Four Cheese
- KMC Deluxe Sharp Cheddar
- KMC Homestyle Creamy Parmesan Alfredo
- KMC Homestyle Sharp Cheddar and Bacon
- KMC Homestyle Classic Cheddar
- KMC Homestyle Hearty Four Cheese
- KMC Homestyle Bowl Southwest Tortilla
- KMC Homestyle Bowl Creamy Broccoli with White Cheddar
- KMC Cup Alfredo
Our Response: Who prefers food with artificial color? We are not sure many consumers do since it adds no benefit or nutritional value to the foods it's in and is simply a cheap, cosmetic additive. And what about all the kids that reach for the boxes with cartoon characters? Do you really think they are going to pick out the Organic/Homestyle version over Spongebob? The above options of Macaroni and Cheese without artificial dyes are not targeted toward children, and the versions that are specifically designed for children do contain Yellow #5 and Yellow #6. Children are the ones that are most at risk for complications when consuming artificial dyes. In Europe, a food company is required to use a warning label when using artificial food dyes stating, "May cause adverse effects in activity and attention in children" on the package.
But meanwhile back in the US, Kraft features children regularly in commercials and goes as far as holding essay contests specifically for children to promote the introduction and creation of new product lines containing artificial food dyes - products like "Cheddar Explosion," "Extreme Cheese Explosion," and "Grilled Cheese Explosion."
Since artificial dyes provide no value but do pose risks, we believe it is up to Kraft to voluntarily change their product and stop exploiting the FDA laws to their financial advantage. The 30 or so Kraft varieties that do still contain artificial dyes in the US are unfair to the children lured by these products, unfair to the less fortunate who buy these products because they are cheaper, and unfair to the uneducated consumer that is unaware of these potentially harmful ingredients.
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Even the FDA admits we should be concerned, stating the following on their website:
"Exposure to food and food components, including AFC [Artificial Food Colors] and preservatives, may be associated with behavioral changes, not necessarily related to hyperactivity, in certain susceptible children with ADHD and other problem behaviors, and possibly in susceptible children from the general population."
Yellow #5 and #6 both have not been retested since their approval – do we have confidence in the FDA to keep up to date on health risks considering there were 91 artificial dyes (allowed in food, drugs, cosmetics, and/or medical devices) that were at one point approved by the FDA that are now no longer authorized or have been restricted?
Also what about all the big restaurant chains like Applebee's, IHOP, Perkins, Denny's, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bob Evans and Steak n' Shake offering "Kraft Macaroni & Cheese" in kids meals and on menus across the country? These children do not get a choice between mac & cheese with or without dyes - instead they are solely offered the riskier option.
From Kraft: We appreciate the opportunity to share this information with you.
Our Response: Sharing this information with us does not address our petition nor does it address our concerns for the health of Americans. We request that Kraft listen to the (228k+) people signing our petition and the families who have reached out to us directly in concern.
We've received numerous letters from parents and people who have had dramatic improvements in the health of their families after removing artificial dyes. Here are just a few excerpts from these hundreds of letters – we hope this finally convinces Kraft to act and remove artificial dyes:
"Artificial dyes caused him to have tantrums that nobody could believe - after eating anything containing dye - absolutely any and everything could set him off into a tantrum and he would scream in such a state of rage that he was unreachable for approx. 50-60 minutes at a time." - Tracy
"My son had very bad eczema along with hyper activity when he was younger. After years of expensive medicine and creams for his skin we decided to stop eating foods with dyes in them. The results were astounding. I had a much more manageable child with beautiful skin." - Renee
"My 5 year old son, has horrible reactions to artificial dyes. We've always been very cautious about what we eat, we don't buy products that contain artificial ANYTHING, but we used to let him partake in treats at parties that contain artificial colorings, until we realized the random violent outbursts he was having came only after consuming artificial dyes. Normally, he is a very sweet soul, but the day after Halloween, when we had allowed him to eat skittles, he had a violent outburst in class where he threw a chair. A CHAIR. His teachers were shocked, so were we." - Emily
"We struggled for over 2 years, trying various strategies to stop the tantrums, teach him to self-soothe and calm himself when overstimulated, and help him sleep through the night again. Nothing worked until we eliminated artificial food dyes from his diet when he was 4 ½ years old. We saw dramatic results just 5 days after eliminating them. He started sleeping through the night consistently for the first time since he was a baby, and his intense and long-lasting tantrums also disappeared." - Jennifer
"My 5 old daughter is hypersensitive to food dyes which we didn't discover until we took them away. Her behavior was off the charts fighting, screaming, and just plain unhappy. We removed artificial food from her diet, she became a different child. She is happy and compliant. But if she has any thing containing food dye, she losses her mind and will begin to scream, fight, hit the halls. Finally at the age of 5 she is able to tell me when she has a headache and its alway after having something containing artificial food dye at school. This can't be just a coincidence!! I mean every time my daughter has artificial food dye she is in pain!" - Kelli
"My 14 year old daughter was diagnosed with eczema when she was 3 months old. We have been to many Doctors and have had way too many prescriptions. The triggers for this condition are many. The major ones that we have found that bother her are artificial dyes. As you can imagine, it is very difficult to keep all of them out of our homes. It is something that we need to be mindful of everyday if she wants to stay healthy. I truly believe that all dyes should be banned for our food supply today. Not only our food supply but also from medications, whether over-the-counter or prescription." - Kerry
"One of my sons is allergic to artificial food dye…to the point of it being life-threatening. His breathing becomes labored, he becomes lethargic and we must have (dye-free) Benadryl and an EPI Pen Jr. on hand at all times. Fortunately, we try to eat very naturally so we were able to identify the issue fairly quickly. However, it’s very difficult to protect him from artificial food dye in public, i.e. visiting friends/family, church, schools, etc. It would be a relief to this momma if artificial food dye were out of U.S. food products. " - Jen
"My son has Aspergers, a form of autism. Food dyes significantly affect his behavior sometimes leading to explosive tantrums. Red dye #40 causes aggression and self injury. Blue #2 and yellow #5 affect his communication and emotional state. Basically, he becomes nasty and grumpy. Unable to tell us how he is really feeling, this behavior leads to tantrums. Food dye is not allowed in my house. Why do I care if other children eat it? Because until people are fully educated on the side effects of the poison they feed their children they are not able to make rational choices." - Michele
"My son is adversely affected by artificial colors. Several months ago we removed all foods with artificial colors and flavorings from his diet to see if his behavior would improve. We were amazed to find that by removing these from his diet he has a better attention span and is less fidgety. If there is ever a time when he does eat something with these dyes in it, after about 20 minutes I can tell." - Christie
"My 2 year old daughter breaks out in hives from artificial food dyes." - Katie
"We were having a hard time with his behavioral outbursts when I read an article on how food dyes can often effect kids with ADHD. I decided for the heck of it to remove them from our home. We already eat pretty healthy, but Mac and Cheese was one thing that my son loved and was willing to eat. I switched to the organic brand Annie's and also now read every thing I buy. If it contains any food coloring at all, we don't buy it. Within a month my son completely changed. His erratic behavior was gone and he was able to focus a lot more on tasks. His stimming (self stimulating behaviors that you see with Autism) also decreased significantly. " - Lori
We hope you join us and demand this change by signing this petition now and sharing it with as many people as you know. Together we can make our voices heard!
With Much Love,
Lisa with 100DaysofRealFood.com and Vani with FoodBabe.com
Mary Ellen says
The business practices of some (or possibly most) of these huge corporations is infuriating. Thanks for pushing to make a difference!
Diane says
Thank you for staying on this! Iam sure the folks at Kraft are scratching their heads and saying "Why don't you pretty little woman go do something else? " Or that is the tone I get from their letter! If most people switched to real foods, these products would be forced to change....not out of concern for our health, but out of concern for their bottom line.
Thanks again!
Mary says
Gladly signed this petition! Well done ladies!!
Rachel says
Sigh. I hate to bring it up, but since Kraft clearly isn't hearing anything that doesn't have $$ behind it, is it time to have a public boycott? (I know it's an over-used tactic, but there seems to be nothing happening here!)
Becky T. says
THANK YOU for starting this petition!! I just signed it and will tell others about it. I hope Kraft will listen and make changes! My kids and I just watched you on Dr. Oz and I have been following your blog for some time now. Your earlier posts about food dyes inspired my 12 year old son to write his 7th grade persuasive essay on the dangers of artificial food dyes. Keep up the good work! Thank you!
Mercedes says
agree
Christina says
There is an article on my MSN homepage now...and the comments make me so SAD!! People miss the point...
sheila anderson says
I completely agree all artificial dyes shold be removed from our foods,they are bad chemicals and are proven to provoke bad behavior and health issues. Kraft thinks they are too big to have to change their ways and I really think they don't care. Once I complained about their commercials for the temptations pudding desserts and they didnt really care what the consumer thinks.
Beth says
My son's lips and face swell from artificial colors, and so we read labels VERY carefully. Kraft M&C is only the tip of the iceberg, and it's obvious artificial-foodness makes it easy to avoid. (YUCK!) It's not so easy with everything else. Keep up the good work and go after more than just Kraft! My personal crusade right now is agains our local grocery, Publix (a store that even runs Greenwise stores with organic and all natural!), bakery. The ONLY treat I could find to by my son the other day was plain cake donuts. Even the sugar cookies (WHITE sugar cookies) were artificially colored. You expect a bakery to be like cooking at home! I have to admit, they, however, gave me a better response than Kraft gave you...
sarah says
I saw you on Dr. Oz today! Thank you for being a champion of real food. It is a shame that money is more important to these companies than the health value of their product.
N Berry says
Maybe the place you should be sending your petitions about food dyes is to the FDA.
Sil says
Excellent idea!
Genevieve Fields says
As an Australian living in the US, the behaviour of food manufacturers here is scary. BUt why don't the supermarkets take a stand on behalf of the public?
A few years ago, Australian supermarket chain Aldi decided to not stock products containing artificial food dyes. They have gone up against the big supermarkets and are slowly gaining market share.
https://aldi.com.au/au/html/product_health_nutrition.htm
Lori B. says
Wondering if that includes the ALDI Stores here in the US? Trying to find any info on the Aldi US site. thanks for this heads up!
Liz says
I think your petition target should shift to the FDA rather than to individual companies.
If the FDA tells me I need to conduct only certain tests in order to assure the sterility of certain medical device, I will comply. If costumers asks "we" go beyond that, I may fight back stating I am complying with FDA. End of story.
Leslie says
Lisa & Vani,
Thank you both for all that you're doing to make people more aware of the contents of our foods. I pray this petition starts a movement with Kraft Foods then all food manufacturers here in the US.
I just watched you both on the Dr. Oz Show, you both looked fabulous and did a great job! I hope this subject is looked into more deeply by many more news organizations so that even more people are made aware of these high-risk and completely unnecessary additives in our foods.
Prairie Mother says
Great response!! I'm signing right now! You've got the support, don't give up the fight. First Kraft, then who knows?
Jeri says
Bottom line is what big business listens too. My family has stopped buying commercial food. We have educated ourselves to the point of understanding that no one is going to take an interest in our health, except us! If it is in a box, container, or package it is all about money. Be an advocate for your family. Stay at home and eat fresh!
Alaina Post says
"So in the U.S., we only use colors that are approved and deemed safe for food use by the Food and Drug Administration."
All that "safe" means is that no one died from it. The FDA is a joke and complying with their standards is like someone who gets a college degree by the skin of their teeth. They may be a college graduate, but that doesn't mean they are capable of doing the job. Standards can be changed when new information emerges, and there are definitely enough testimonials to show that there is something wrong with food additives and they are making us SICK. No wonder people are saying that the new generation of kids is worse than the last - they are being exposed to a lot more chemicals!
Ellen says
There are a few things going on here with KRAFT. The first thing being their fear of losing profits because they've changed the product. Remember that $$ rules just about everything in the US. And it's a fallacy to assume that because you are concerned with this that most other people are.
A lot of people think worrying about this stuff is stupid (you'd really be surprised) and might even start buying more of the "bad" version just out of spite. Many people are also under the false believe that "everything is ok in moderation." This drives me nuts because, well, toxicity is bad even in moderation.
So then KRAFT puts out the "healthier" version and they kill two birds with one stone. They put out a version for people who do care about such things so they get their money. And they also get to take up more shelf space. The more shelf space they get, the more they push out competitors, (There is a great documentary on beer that describes this tactic quite well) the more money for them.
Melissa @ My Whole Food Life says
Clearly Kraft has made it clear they only care about their bottom line. Keep up the good work ladies. Maybe after all this press, they will be forced to change. I am happy to say that my kids no longer eat any Kraft products.
Katie Durham says
Please save our kids!!
Heather says
I would love to see a petition to remove food dyes from all products, not just mac and cheese. Being gluten free, we do not eat Kraft mac and cheese, but I still signed because it's a step in the right direction.
Janna Whitley says
Wouldn't Kraft Macaroni & Cheese be considered "Processed Food"? I am surprised that people that are concerned with eating only healthy unprocessed food, would even consider eating food out of a box. Especially this product. Just my thought...
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says
Janna - We stopped eating boxed mac and cheese in 2010 when we began cutting out all highly processed foods and refined ingredients. Here's our recipe for homemade mac and cheese https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/12/31/recipe-whole-wheat-macaroni-and-cheese/.
Sharon Bowler says
Even if some adults don't care or even if they prefer the artificial stuff, who is hurt by these products? The children, but not only them. All of society is hurt by poison in the food supply. Whether it be more cancer, eczema, or learning disabilities, we are all hurt by children not being allowed to be as healthy and productive as possible.
The FDA need to start working for us and not for major corporations.
Sharon
Kim says
Luckily, we get to vote with our wallets THREE times each day!
Michelle says
Well. Think about this. Whether Kraft changes it or not, you will most certainly be dead in 40-50 years anyhow. Why worry about the food you eat? Worry more so about where your soul is going. silly people!
Nicole says
Because of your info I have tried to stay away from Kraft but they are one of the only food corps that completely label gluten (not just wheat).
However, my kids are never allowed Mac and cheese in a restaurant. Lol. It's either Kraft or doesn't offer a veggie side. Sometimes it's the highest calorie meal offered on a menu.
Kim says
We cannot give up. The response from Kraft was the most generic, uncaring, robotic response. It shows us that they really don't care. Their profits are more important to them. I will NEVER buy Kraft again and will empty my pantry of anything lingering. We as a nation we NEED to continue to demand removable of these artificial ingredients and put pressure on the FDA to make it happen. Its the only way we ever want to see a change.
Kelly says
Lisa, thanks once again for all that you do. Your blog is awesome! Our family has made many changes in our diet thanks to you. We now make your homemade macaroni and cheese recipe 99% of the time instead of pre-packaged.
Regarding Kraft, it would be interesting to go to different grocery stores and see how many of these "alternate" products are on the shelves. I bet there are some grocery stores where there is only the one product and it's the one with artificial colors. Also, it is interesting to me about how much they spend on marketing and branding for all of these different product lines. You'd think they could save on marketing and packaging by only having one recipe without artificial dies for the regular flavor of mac and cheese (and use it in the US and Europe).
Although I understand why you and Food Babe are targeting one company (the awareness has been great)! I still wish you would also petition the FDA. I know there have been other unsuccessful FDA petitions, but maybe if you and Food Babe led the effort, you'd be successful since there seems to be so many more followers and so much more awareness now?
Amy says
Just watched you on Dr. Oz - well done!
T VENCILL says
Until we hit them where it hurts (the bottom line), I have little faith in our food system. Buy local, make mac and cheese from scratch if you have the time, etc. etc.
suzyhomemaker says
I am watching you on Dr Oz right now! Way to go. I cannot believe how much this has exploded in such a short time.
Erin Landon says
So after reading your response my new question is... why does there need to be 30+ varieties of macaroni and cheese offered by ONE brand? This is ridiculous. You would think that offering ONE formula would save them money because they're buying fewer ingredients in larger quantities. Its obvious to me that while they may be following "the law" they do NOT have consumers best interests in mind.
Katie says
I was thinking the same thing! More choices to consumers mean more chances at people buying Kraft. And, the organic versions are more expensive so in the end they make more money. Some marketing guru made a lot of money for that decision, I bet! I used to work for a food & beverage company. It blew my mind how many variations of each snack was produced to expand the product line, to take up more shelf space, to reach more consumers and to, ultimately, make more money.
Dana says
They sound like all they care about is being within the laws. That's the only reason their mac n cheese in the UK is different! They don't care about us or our health.
Maryea {Happy Healthy Mama} says
I signed the petition. Thanks for helping spread awareness for this important issue. It kills me to see so many artificial dyes in all the foods that are specifically marketed to children.
Lori B. says
I am 37 and when I was in college I tried the Kraft "blue box" mac and cheese. After about half a bowl I had to run to the toilet. Then I backed off and would have one bite... wait 30 minutes, and then run to the bathroom. I have 2 boys (7&13) They have never in their life eaten a box of instant macaroni and cheese, especially anything from Kraft or any one of the companies that are listed on your site.
Cheryl Zandbergen says
I don't know how any organization can ignore 228k+ people!
Keep on fighting - even if Kraft never changes its position your message is reaching far and wide. You are changing lives.
Lori B. says
What we DO know is that there are a lot more people NOT buying that crap. When they start to notice it financially, they will change. But not one second before that!
Cheryl Zandbergen says
Agreed :)
Tara says
I hate that this is even a stance we have to take as consumers. "Please don't poison us or target our impressionable, sweet children who respond to bright colors and cartoons."
I will continue to sign petitions of this nature, and I will continue to help in any way that I can. I would hate for Kraft to go out of business (for all the American citizens they surely employ) BUTI feel like they need to have the fear of the consumer put into them, they need to understand that we aren't just an idiotic mass of morons who fling their money around willy nilly. There needs to be some real change, here in the US.
Jenna says
I agree with removing the dyes but I think the conversation took an unnecessary agitative tone after Kraft's first response. You get more flies with honey than with splenda...
Cheryl Zandbergen says
I'm sorry, I appreciate your opinion but I AM agitated with their response, as I am sure many others are. I think that in order to make change of this magnitude you have to show passion, be blunt and to the point and provide valid arguments, as the ladies have done. (Unless of course you have the power to change regulations).
Sam says
The FDA is a complete and utter joke.
Lana says
I could not agree more! We have bottom lines standards, and the health of our nation reflects that.
http://www.mondaysnugget.com/2013/03/hey-guys-im-boycotting-kraft-want-to.html
Lana says
Unbelievable. I don't feed my daughter Kraft, and it looks like I never will. Shame on them.
Lana says
http://www.mondaysnugget.com/2013/03/hey-guys-im-boycotting-kraft-want-to.html
Linked to your blog and wrote a post about boycotting Kraft. Keep at 'em, ladies!