Lucky Charms and Trix go au naturel as General Mills ditches artificial colors
- General Mills has removed artificial colors from all its U.S. cereals, including Lucky Charms and Trix.
- The company has switched to fruit- and vegetable-based dyes as well as colors from spices.
- 90% of General Mills' U.S. retail products are now free of artificial dyes, with a goal to eliminate them from all products by the end of 2027.
- Health advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes due to potential neurobehavioral issues in children.
- General Mills is the second major cereal maker to announce this transition, following WK Kellogg.
General Mills announced on Wednesday that it has removed artificial colors from all its U.S. cereals, including popular brands like Lucky Charms and Trix. The Minneapolis-based company has transitioned to using dyes derived from fruits, vegetables, and spices such as turmeric and paprika to maintain the bright colors of its cereals.
Bethany Quam, General Mills’ president of cereal, stated that this change reflects the company's evolution in response to consumer needs while still providing great-tasting, quality food. Currently, 90% of General Mills' U.S. retail products are free of artificial dyes, with plans to eliminate them from remaining products, including some Betty Crocker mixes, by the end of 2027.
The move comes amid increasing pressure from health advocates and retailers for food companies to eliminate artificial dyes. Earlier this year, Target announced it would stop selling cereals with artificial colors by the end of May, and Walmart plans to remove them from its store brands by January 2027. General Mills' decision aligns with a broader trend in the food industry towards natural ingredients.
通用磨坊去除人工色素，Lucky Charms 和 Trix 采用天然色素
通用磨坊在周三宣布，已从其所有美国谷物中去除了人工色素，包括受欢迎的品牌 Lucky Charms 和 Trix。这家总部位于明尼阿波利斯的公司已转向使用来自水果、蔬菜和香料（如姜黄和红椒）的染料，以保持谷物的鲜艳颜色。
通用磨坊的谷物部门总裁贝瑟尼·夸姆表示，这一变化反映了公司在回应消费者需求方面的演变，同时仍提供美味和高质量的食品。目前，通用磨坊90%的美国零售产品不含人工染料，计划在2027年底前彻底消除剩余产品中的人工染料，包括一些贝蒂·克劳克蛋糕混合粉。
这一举措是在健康倡导者和零售商日益施加压力的背景下进行的，要求食品公司消除人工染料。今年早些时候，塔吉特宣布将在5月底之前停止销售含有人工色素的谷物，而沃尔玛计划在2027年1月之前从其自有品牌中去除这些色素。通用磨坊的决定与食品行业向天然成分的更广泛趋势相一致。