What Foods Might Vanish Because of RFK Jr.'s Health Policies?

Lots of people are talking about what RFK, Jr. may do to the food industry as he focuses on making foods healthier with less additives and chemicals.  Many articles have been written about it.  What foods might be affected by health policies favored by RFK, Jr.?

• Foods with additives:  Ever take the time to read the ingredient label on foods?  So many have ingredients that are hard to pronounce and most people have no idea what the chemical or additive is.  Food manufacturers add chemicals “to enhance flavor, color, or shelf life” but in doing so such chemicals may adversely affect our health. 

• Food Dyes:  EWG notes that three food colors comprise 90% of the food dyes in food, including Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, and Yellow Dye No. 6. 

o   Red Dye No. 40 – so many foods have been colored with red dye including candies, snacks, and many beverages like fruit punches and fruit drinks.  In fact, EWG says “more than 36,000 food products sold in the U.S. contain Red 40…”  In Europe they require a warning about how Red Dye No. 40 may affect children’s behavior and attention.  However, the FDA has listed Red Dye No. 40 as safe.  Some studies have shown that Red Dye No. 40 can affect hyperactivity in kids but other studies have not found this.  Read the label as Red Dye No. 40 will be listed on the ingredient list.  You may find Red Dye No. 40 in breakfast cereals such as Lucky Charms, sodas or drinks such as Gatorade Fruit Punch, Tropicana Fruit Punch, condiments, puddings, some dairy products like some yogurt like Yoplait Trix Berry and Strawberry, some baked goods, some candy like Skittles, and fruit gummies. 

o   Yellow Dyes:  Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6.  Often found in cereals and some candies.  Like Red Dye No. 40, the yellow dyes are considered safe by the FDA but in Europe, the European Union requires warning labels on foods with Yellow Dyes.  Skittles lists Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 6, and Yellow 5, in the ingredients.  EWG gives the example of a “cheesy tuna pasta casserole mix” that contains yellow dyes.

• Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO):  Vegetable oils are commonly used but brominated vegetable oil is a product used in some sodas and sports drinks.  Why?  To emulsify ingredients and to prevent flavors from separating. FDA requires BVO to be listed in the ingredients as “brominated vegetable oil”.  The good news is as of July 3, 2024, FDA will no longer allow BVO in foods.  However, the bad news is this won’t take effect until July 3, 2025 to give manufacturers time to remove BVO-containing products.  Thus, you may still see BVO listed in the ingredients. 

• Bisphenol A (BPA):   This chemical is used in plastics such as food storage containers and some water bottles.  Canned food used to have some BPA in the lining of the can.  However, now 95% of food companies have removed BPA-containing liners.  However, EWG reports that substitutes for BPA, such as BSA, used on paper receipts can disrupt hormones.  (Many retailers including, Best Buy, Costco, REI, Target, TJX, Marshalls, Walgreens and CVS have transitioned to phenol-free receipts). What is the concern about BPA?  The Mayo Clinic states, “Exposure to BPA is a concern because of the possible health effects on the brain and prostrate gland of fetuses, infants and children.  It can also affect children’s behavior.  Additional research suggests a possible link between BPA and increased blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.”  

• Herbicides and Pesticides:  Many foods we eat contain herbicides or pesticides.  As I wrote in Is it time to ditch oat milk and return to real dairy milk?, oat milk can contain emulsifiers and/or glyphosate, a chemical used in herbicides to kill weeds and grasses. WebMD states, “Some studies suggest glyphosate may be linked to cancer.  Others suggest there’s no link.”  In contrast, some studies have found that a nutrient in real dairy may help prevent cancer.  (See:  Can a nutrient in meat and dairy help fight cancer?). 

o   In 2023, EWG tested different oat-based foods including major brands, General Mills and Quaker.  The good news, the amount of glyphosate in foods tested is lower but still present.  EWG notes, “The highest concentrations showed up in Quaker products, as they did in earlier tests”.  The good news is that baby cereals tested, “were largely free of glyphosate”.  EWG provide a full list of cereals and products they tested for glyphosate. 

o   As for pesticides, EWG issued the 2024 Dirty Dozen, a listing of “12 fruits and vegetables most contaminated with pesticides”.  This list included strawberries, pears, peaches, spinach, cherries, blueberries, and apples. 

Action Steps:

What steps can you take to limit the additives and chemicals in your diet?

1.  Focus on fresh fruit and vegetables and less on canned. 

2.  Choose at least some organic food.  After reading about glyphosate being sprayed on oats, I switched to organic oatmeal.  We also purchase and drink organic real dairy milk.

3.  Water bottles:  Skip the plastic water bottles as much as you can and buy a water bottle with a steel lining. 

4.  Look for BPA -free.  Many manufacturers are labeling plastics, BPA-free.

5.  Focus on the Clean Fifteen.  EWG produces the Clean Fifteen, a list of 15 fruits and vegetables low in pesticide residues.  The list includes carrots, mushrooms, watermelon, asparagus, onions, and sweet corn.

6.  Avoid Heat:  Don’t heat food in plastic containers in the microwave as the BPA in the plastic container can leach into the food.   We try to use glass containers to reheat food or line the plastic container with wax paper. Use glass containers to store leftover food. 

7.  Cut back on artificial dyes in food:  You don’t want to eat a breakfast of cereal with a red dye, drink a fruit drink with a yellow dye (Sunny D has yellow 5 and yellow 6), eat lunch with dyes in the yogurt and in candy such as Skittles, and then enjoy a drink like fruit punch with more dyes.  Drink 100% juice which has no dyes.  Avoid juice drinks, fruit punches which usually are colored with dyes.   

8.  Read ingredient labels: As noted above, artificial dyes and BVO are listed if present.  

In conclusion, RFK Jr.’s health policies could significantly impact the food industry by targeting products with harmful additives and/or chemicals.  Foods containing artificial dyes, brominated vegetable oil, BPA or high levels of herbicides or pesticides might be phased out or reformulated to meet stricter health standards.

Consumers can take proactive steps to reduce their exposure to these substances by choosing fresh produce including the Clean 15, avoiding plastic containers, and reading ingredient labels carefully.  By making informed choices, we can contribute to a healthier future.    

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