(NewsNation) — Froot Loops are the center of a political food fight.
Froot Loops maker WK Kellogg Co. has faced criticism for months over its use of artificial food dyes, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been nominated as the nation’s top health official under Trump, is among those criticizing Froot Loops, claiming artificial dyes contribute to widespread health issues.
“They get brighter colors in Froot Loops, but it’s literally poisoning our kids,” Kennedy reportedly said in a Fox News interview in September.
Kellogg has repeatedly responded that their foods are safe and that their ingredients comply with federal regulations.
“Our products — and the ingredients we use to make them — are compliant with all applicable relevant laws and regulations and we remain committed to transparently labeling our ingredients so consumers can easily make choices about the food they purchase. Today, more than 85 percent of our cereal sales contain no colors from artificial sources.”
WK Kellogg Co. statement
American cereals typically contain significantly more additives compared to their European counterparts, said Darin Detwiler, a former USDA adviser.
The consumer food safety advocate told "NewsNation Now" that even foods marketed as healthy are often ultra-processed, but he expects future labels to include a scale indicating processing levels.
He criticized the U.S. for lacking transparency, noting that companies often make separate, less processed versions of products for European markets due to stricter regulations.
"There is much more regulated transparency and demand for a second level of testing in Europe," Detwiler said. “There's one version for the American consumer, and there’s another European version.”
As part of his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, Kennedy is looking to do a complete system overhaul of the agencies that regulate health and food.
He’s also called for stricter pesticide regulations and made a vow to get processed foods removed from school lunches.
NewsNation's Andrew Dorn contributed to this report.
