I Was There: The Day the FDA Took a Stand on Food Dyes

Yesterday was a moment I’ll never forget.

I had the incredible honor of being at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., for one of the most meaningful public health announcements in recent memory: the FDA is officially phasing out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes by the end of next year.

Standing in that room, shoulder to shoulder with changemakers and leaders—including CDC Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, Head of CMS Dr. Oz and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya—felt surreal. For decades, parents, doctors, and advocates have been sounding the alarm on the links between artificial food dyes and behavioral and developmental issues in children. And finally, someone listened.

We’ve known for years that artificial dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 5 aren’t just colorful—they’re chemically derived from petroleum and have been shown in studies, including one cited from The Lancet, to increase hyperactivity and contribute to behavioral challenges in children. These dyes have been banned or restricted in many countries, yet they’ve remained in American cereal bowls, candy aisles, and lunch trays.

Until now.

Yesterday, the FDA—backed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—announced that these dyes will be removed from the U.S. food supply, and natural alternatives like beet juice and turmeric will take their place. It’s a bold step, and while it won’t singlehandedly solve the chronic illness crisis among children, it is an essential step in the right direction.

As a pediatrician, I’ve been having this conversation with families for years: food dyes matter. What we feed our kids matters. But it’s one thing for doctors to say it—and another for a federal agency to act on it.

There’s a quote that stuck with me from the press conference:
“The ‘F’ in FDA stands for Food.”

Let’s not forget that. Our children’s health must come before shelf life, branding, or profit.

This change won’t come without resistance. Reformulating products is expensive, and bright colors sell. But the tide is turning. Parents are asking harder questions. Transparency is becoming non-negotiable. And the next generation deserves better.

We were never meant to eat petroleum. And now, finally, we won’t have to.

More soon. I’m still taking it all in—but for today, I just want to say: I was there. I saw it begin. And I’m hopeful.

—
Dr. Joel “Gator” Warsh
Integrative Pediatrician | Author of Between a Shot and a Hard Place