We recently discovered that several American food products contain harmful additives that are not used — and in some cases banned — in other countries. One of those products is an iconic staple that almost every American, us included, has had at one time or another: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the US contains the artificial food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These dyes are not in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in other countries, including the UK, because they are considered harmful overseas and were removed due to consumer outcry. It’s time we demand the same here in the US!
We are petitioning Kraft to remove all artificial food dyes from their line of macaroni and cheese products.
Kraft, which is an American company by the way, has already removed this unnecessary – yet potentially harmful – additive from their products overseas but still serves it up to their fellow Americans. Here are the reasons we are asking Kraft to remove Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 from their entire line of Macaroni and Cheese:
Artificial food dyes…
– Are man-made in a lab with chemicals derived from petroleum (a crude oil product, which also happens to be used in gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, and tar).
– Require a warning label in other countries outside the US.
– Have been banned in countries like Norway and Austria (and are being phased out in the UK).
– Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 specifically are contaminated with known carcinogens (a.k.a. an agent directly involved in causing cancer).
– Cause an increase in hyperactivity in children.
– Have a negative impact on children’s ability to learn.
– Have been linked to long-term health problems such as asthma, skin rashes, and migraines.
– Add absolutely no value to the foods we are eating and are used solely for aesthetic purposes.
– To prove this last point we personally tested both the US and UK versions of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and found little difference in color and virtually no difference in taste (see for yourself in the video below).
So please…
1. Go to our petition page and sign your name – http://change.org/kraftyellow
2. Share our petition with your family and friends
We both grew up eating this product – Lisa used to feed it to her kids years ago – and it’s available at almost every grocery store across the country. Our kids deserve the same as our friends overseas!
Kraft Foods is the largest food company headquartered in the United States. If Kraft changes their Macaroni and Cheese, we know this could inspire other food companies across the US to finally eliminate dangerous artificial food dyes once and for all.
Join us and demand this change by signing this petition now.
Thank you for all your support – together we can make a difference.
The potential health effects of artificial colors such as cochineal, a food dye derived from crushed insects.
The effects of artificial colors on impulsivity, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity among young children.