• by Tanya Gazdik , July 14, 2025

A large number of ice cream makers are pledging to eliminate many artificial food dyes from their offerings by the end of 2027.

“The announcement, less than a week before the National Ice Cream Day on July 20, was made by the International Dairy Foods Association, a trade group for dairy companies, in conjunction with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has championed the cause through his Make America Healthy Again platform,” according to USA Today. “Kennedy, who has long blamed chronic health problems, including obesity and heart disease, on the food industry, announced in April that eight artificial dyes will 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.

“Andy Jacobs, CEO of Turkey Hill, said many commercial ice cream manufacturers had already phased out artificial colors or were in the process of doing so,” according to Agence France-Presse. “‘By taking this step now, ice cream manufacturers are ensuring that ice cream remains a special part of our lives as consumer preferences change and the nation's regulatory priorities evolve,' he said.” 

The companies that have signed on to the goal produce 90% of the nation’s ice cream and frozen dairy desserts.

“The move is the latest voluntary effort by food manufacturers to heed calls from the Trump administration to remove synthetic dyes over concerns about potential health effects. In recent weeks, companies including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and General Mills said they would pull artificial colors from their foods, too,” according to The Associated Press. “In their place, manufacturers should use dyes made from fruit juices, plant extracts and other sources, federal officials said.The FDA has approved new natural color additives in recent months, including a new blue color made from the fruit of the gardenia announced Monday. Gardenia (genipin) blue is approved for use in sports drinks, candies and certain other products, the agency said."

One large ice cream company notably quiet on the subject is Ben & Jerry’s. Co-founder Ben Cohen was arrested at a U.S. Senate hearing in May featuring testimony by Kennedy, according to the Burlington Free Press. 

Ben & Jerry's reportedly does not use artificial dyes in its ice cream. It is committed to using natural ingredients and has stated that the green color in its  mint ice cream, for example, comes from the mint itself and not artificial coloring, according to a social media post by the company. Ben & Jerry's also says it uses fruit and vegetable concentrates for coloring in some flavors, rather than artificial dyes.