General Mills Announces Removal of Synthetic Food Dyes, Starting With Cereals

FDA has asked food companies to substitute artificial colors with ‘natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada.’

General Mills Inc.'s Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios are displayed on the shelf of a Whole Foods Market store in Venice, Calif. Lisa Baertlein/Reuters

General Mills, which owns a wide range of snack and baked products in the United States, announced plans to remove food colors from all its products, in a June 17 statement.

Based in Minnesota, some of the company’s popular brands include Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Totino’s, and Annie’s.