A growing number of companies distributing food to millions of U.S. consumers have pledged to remove artificial dyes and other harmful chemicals from products as they accommodate the Trump administration’s agenda to “Make America Healthy Again.”

Since he was appointed by President Donald Trump this year to lead the country’s most powerful federal health agency, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has led the MAHA movement, which promotes cleaner food products, among other priorities. 

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Kennedy, Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins, and Food and Drug Commissioner Marty Makary revealed on Monday that a host of ice cream manufacturers pledged to remove synthetic food dyes from products. The commitment, led by the International Dairy Foods Association, makes around 40 brands the latest to fall in line with Kennedy’s mission to target foods he believes could be partly responsible for fueling ADHD and cancer rates, as well as the surge in chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. 

“President Donald J. Trump took office promising to confront the chronic health crisis plaguing Americans — and six months later, he is delivering on that promise by removing harmful chemicals from our food supply,” the White House said in a statement. 

The announcement comes after a stream of companies have committed to removing ingredients that federal health officials have deemed harmful to consumers.

Hershey announced on June 30 that it would remove synthetic dyes, including those in Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, and Reese’s Pieces, by the end of 2027. Kraft Heinz announced June 17 that it would remove all artificial dyes by the end of 2027 and not roll out new products with synthetic dyes. Nestlé announced on June 25 that it would “fully eliminate” artificial colors from its portfolio by mid-2026. Smuckers announced on June 27 that it would remove artificial colors from its products, including Twinkies, Sno Balls, and Little Debbie snacks, by the end of 2027. And Sam’s Club announced on June 5 that it would eliminate more than 40 ingredients, including artificial dyes and aspartame, from its generic brands. 

The latest commitment Kennedy secured from the dairy industry means that the companies that produce more than 90% of ice cream sold in the U.S. will no longer use certified artificial colors in their products. Around 40 makers of ice cream and frozen dairy desserts will remove Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from their ice cream and frozen dairy desserts.

Food dyes, 36 of which are approved by the FDA, have come under particular scrutiny. In years past, the agency has approved nine synthetic dyes, one of which is Red 3, a dye the FDA banned in January.

Makary sent a letter to food manufacturers on Monday that “encourages” them to speed up the removal of the dye known as Red 3, which was banned in January. 

In April, Kennedy announced that eight artificial dyes would be phased out from medications and the nation’s food supply by the end of 2026, including those found in candy, ice cream, soft drinks, and jams. The voluntary effort will eliminate the use of certified artificial colors Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. Trump administration officials have warned that color additives for food could contribute to negative health outcomes, including neurological problems in children.

“We are asking, as an administration, American food companies to remove these petroleum-based food chemicals and replace them with natural ingredients for American kids, just as they have already done for kids in Europe and Canada,” Makary said. “That’s a pretty simple request. And remember: Democrat, independent, Republican moms came out and voted for President Trump on this very issue, so we’re delivering on it.”

At the event on Monday, Makary also announced the approval of Gardenia blue, a new color additive derived from the fruit of the gardenia. It is the fourth natural color approved by the FDA in the past two months, and has been used in sports drinks, soft drinks, and candy.

According to Kennedy, the pledges from companies thus far to fall in line with the Trump administration’s stance on health policy have been voluntary. Federal officials have an understanding with the food industry that the Trump administration could work with corporations in a “friendly way” to jumpstart changes they believe would make the U.S. food supply more comparable to Europe’s cleaner food industry. 

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“Nobody wants to eat petroleum, everybody knows that caused health problems,” the HHS secretary said in April. “And so we can act on that now.”

“We have 1,000 ingredients in our foods that are illegal in Italy and other countries in Europe. And the reason for that is corruption in the food industry and agriculture. Big agricultural producers control the FDA, so they’re not worried about public health,” he added during a previous interview.