By: Leif Bromme
McKee Foods, the parent company of Little Debbie, has pledged to remove artificial colorings from its product line. The timing of the phase-out aligns with a new initiative first put forward by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 22, 2025, encouraging the food industry to embrace natural alternatives.
According to the FDA website, McKee Foods has plans to remove all artificial food colorings over the next year and a half.
Petroleum-derived dyes used in the United States, such as Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine) and Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), are on the list to be removed.
According to official ingredients lists, some Little Debbie products, such as Cosmic Brownies, feature a wide array of these dyes. Others, such as Swiss Rolls, include fewer additives yet still list Red No. 40 on the ingredient label.
The FDA recently announced a specific ban on the use of Red No. 3 (Erythrosine). Food companies are required to remove the dye from their products before Jan. 15, 2027.
A pledge-tracker provided by the FDA shows that McKee Foods has joined companies such as Walmart, Kraft, Hershey’s and Target in a movement encouraged by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” Kennedy said. “These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development.”
Although the FDA has previously considered petroleum-based safe for consumption, researchers from Temple University stated in an article that some studies link such dyes, especially Red No. 3, to increased cancer risk.
An FDA press release describing its industry-focused campaign addressed these concerns, while also pointing to natural alternatives such as beetroot red and spirulina blue. While natural dyes tend to provide less vibrant colors, embracing other options aligns U.S. law with similar policies in Europe and Australia.
Student perspectives
The McKee Foods Corportation Plant 2 and the O.D, McKee Research Center, which is named after the company’s founder, Oather Dorris McKee, are just a short walk from Southern’s campus. Southern Adventist University students shared their perspectives on the company’s decision to remove artificial dyes.
Freshman chemistry major Micah Rose was unaware of the change but does enjoy Little Debbie products.
“I mainly eat honey buns,” he joked, “which I don’t think have much dye in them. But good for them! I don’t know much about artificial dyes, but I’ve heard people say they’re bad for you.”
Junior English major Noah Warner offered a similar sentiment.
“This seems like a step in the right direction,” Warner said.
Ella Emde, a sophomore clinical psychology major, hopes that the change will mark a more health-conscious direction for the company.
“I think it brings Little Debbie one step closer to creating a healthier product that Adventists can be more proud of,” said Emde. “I hope they will continue to work on ways to make their products reflect the SDA [Seventh-day Adventist] health message in the future.”
The Accent tried to contact McKee Foods but did not immediately get a response.
