WK Kellogg Co is being investigated by Texas Lawyer Common Ken Paxton for doubtlessly violating the state’s shopper safety legal guidelines as a consequence of well being claims tied to its cereals.
Paxton stated Saturday that Kellogg is advertising and marketing a few of its cereals as “wholesome” despite the fact that many include blue, pink, yellow, inexperienced and orange synthetic meals colorings. He claims the components have been linked to health-related points reminiscent of weight problems, autoimmune illness and most cancers.
The Texas lawyer basic famous Kellogg introduced in 2015 that it could take away synthetic meals dyes from its merchandise within the U.S. in 2018 however that the corporate has failed to take action — regardless of eradicating the colorings from merchandise offered in Canada and Europe.
“A essential a part of preventing for our youngsters’s future is placing an finish to firms’ misleading practices which are geared toward deceptive dad and mom and households concerning the well being of meals merchandise,” Paxton stated in a press release. “There will probably be accountability for any firm, together with Kellogg’s, that unlawfully makes misrepresentations about its meals and contributes to a damaged well being system that has made Individuals much less wholesome.”
A spokesperson with Kellogg didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Final yr, Jason Karp — a WK Kellogg shareholder, in addition to the founder and CEO of holding firm HumanCo that invests in better-for-you meals and beverage manufacturers — referred to as on the corporate to uphold its pledge to take away meals dyes from cereals like Froot Loops and Apple Jacks. He was considered one of a whole bunch of individuals in 2024 protesting meals dyes in cereals outdoors Kellogg’s Michigan headquarters.
On the time, WK Kellogg stated greater than 85% of its cereal merchandise contained no synthetic colours, and it was creating new cereals that don’t include them. The corporate added that the entire elements it makes use of are “compliant with all relevant related legal guidelines and rules.”
The investigation from Texas’ lawyer basic, an in depth ally of President Donald Trump, comes because the White Home places stress on meals and beverage firms to enhance the healthiness of their choices as a part of its “Make America Wholesome Once more” initiative.
The push to take away synthetic meals colours has been simmering for years, however the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to move the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies has introduced renewed consideration to the hassle.
In March, West Virginia signed into regulation a invoice that restricted seven synthetic dyes from meals merchandise offered in that state. A number of different states have launched payments geared toward meals components, together with synthetic colours, in keeping with the Environmental Working Group.
Final yr, the FDA introduced it was banning Purple No. 3, a man-made coloring in style in sweet, cereal, desserts and different meals that has been linked in excessive doses to most cancers in rats.
A number of meals firms have made pledges to take away synthetic elements from their meals, solely to reduce or delay their implementation. A significant motive is that pure colours didn’t carry out the identical as their synthetic counterparts, and customers have been unwilling to purchase previously vibrant merchandise with duller pure colours.
