Dairy at the center of MAHA’s revamping of food policy

DAILY Bites

• Over 40 U.S. ice cream companies have pledged to eliminate synthetic food dyes by 2027.

• The FDA has fast-tracked approval of the new plant-based dye gardenia blue.

• Upcoming dietary guideline updates are expected to support full-fat dairy products.

DAILY Discussion

On Monday, federal officials and industry leaders signaled a shift in U.S. nutrition policy, with plans to update dietary guidelines in the coming months to include full-fat dairy products and continued efforts to reduce sugar in school milk.

“I grew up in a world where milk was the healthiest thing that you could eat,” said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.  “There has been an attack on whole milk and cheese and yogurt over the past couple of decades.”

In step with these promises, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary called the new agreement a “renaissance moment for health in America,” as more than 40 U.S. ice cream companies pledged to eliminate synthetic food dyes from their products by 2027.

The voluntary commitment, announced Monday at a new conference in Washington, D.C., is backed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the FDA.

“This is relevant to my favorite food, which is ice cream,” said Kennedy, celebrating the dairy industry’s move to remove seven petroleum-based dyes — including Red 3, Red 40, Blue 1 and 2, Green 3, and Yellow 5 and 6 — from ice cream and frozen dairy desserts. “Since we came in about five and a half months ago and started talking about eliminating dyes and other bad chemicals from our food, we’ve had this extraordinary response from the industry.”

Very little detail has been provided, however, about why he believes these ingredients to be “bad” or unsafe for consumption, but many industry leaders supported Kennedy’s stance. The dyes will still be available in non-dairy products.

The announcement comes amid growing public concern over the potential neurobehavioral risks of artificial dyes, particularly for children. “Parents are telling us that when a kid has abnormal behavior and they try reducing or eliminating petroleum-based food dyes, they have seen behavior improved,” Makary said. “That is data.”

The International Dairy Foods Association has long affirmed that artificial dyes are safe, but it’s suspected that these ice cream makers are taking the step in part to avoid disruption to sales from state efforts to phase out dyes from school foods and West Virginia’s recent food dye ban.

Makary added that the FDA has approved of a new plant-based colorant, gardenia blue, part of the agency’s effort to fast-track natural dye approvals to support reformulation. “Normally, every couple years the FDA would approve one natural dye. We’ve now approved four in just months,” Makary said. “We believe in options.”

Gardenia (genipin) blue is derived from the fruit of the gardenia, a flowering evergreen. The FDA has approved the color additive for use in sports drinks, flavored or enhanced non-carbonated water, fruit drinks and ades, ready-to-drink teas, hard candy, and soft candy.



Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the IDFA, called the move a “great day for dairy and for Make America Healthy Again,” a nod to the administration’s health initiative. “This is the single largest effort of its kind. Our dairy industry was built on families. And this commitment ensures our products are on the right side of public policy and consumer choice.”

Turkey Hill Dairy CEO Andy Jacobs, chair of the IDFA Ice Cream Board, gave manufacturers that have already begun phasing out artificial colors a nod. “By taking this step now, ice cream manufacturers are ensuring that ice cream remains a special part of our lives as consumer preferences change,” he said.

Indiana dairy farmer Sam Schwepy, whose family has been producing milk since 1874, also shared a personal story about the transformative power of nutrition in foster care.

“Ice cream is how we make our living and how we support our families and our communities,” Schwepy said. “Even though ice cream is decadent, it’s packed with nutrients and sure beats candy and soda pop for a sweet treat.”

The shift is part of a broader administration effort to overhaul U.S. dietary guidelines and food systems. Kennedy hinted that upcoming guidelines will “elevate” dairy — including full-fat milk and cheese — based on emerging nutritional science. “There’s a tremendous amount of emerging science that talks about the need for more protein in our diet and more fats in our diet,” he said. “There’s no industry that does that better than this industry.”

But while the administration touts its partnership with the dairy industry as science-based reform, other recent efforts by the same health leadership have drawn scrutiny. The Make America Healthy Again Commission’s first report, also led by Kennedy, was sharply criticized by agricultural groups and scientific experts for relying on outdated studies, exaggerated claims, and even fabricated citations. Critics argued that the report undermines public trust in the food system by casting doubt on well-regulated agricultural tools, while ignoring decades of research from institutions like the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

“We’re not stopping here,” said Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins, who was also at the news conference. “This is a historic partnership, and we’re driving meaningful change to make America healthy again.”