Look what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
Dozens of protesters gathered at WK Kellogg Co. headquarters Tuesday. in Battle Creek, Michigan, and called on the company to remove artificial colors from cereals sold in the U.S., according to reports.
As the maker of some of America’s favorite breakfast cereals — like Froot Loops and Apple Jacks — said nearly a decade ago, Kellogg would eliminate artificial colors and ingredients from its products by 2018.
In Canada, Kellogg uses concentrated carrot juice, watermelon juice, huito juice and blueberry juice to color Froot Loops, the company’s product line. Canadian site shows.
But in the US, Kellogg continues to use artificial colors and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), which is a laboratory-made chemical added to foods as a preservative, according to WebMD. Some people even use BHT as a medication, as it can be used to treat acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and genital herpes, notes WebMD.
TIC TAC CHALLENGES FANS TO CHOOSE A NEW LIMITED-EDITION FLAVOR: ‘THIS IS YOUR MO-MINT!’
Michigan protesters on Tuesday urged WK Kellogg to remove artificial colors from all its breakfast cereals. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A CBS station in Lansing reported that protesters had filed petitions with more than 420,000 signatures from people demanding that WK Kellogg remove BHT and artificial colorings from their cereal.
Activists at the demonstration claim there is evidence that artificial food colorings can contribute to behavioral problems in children.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it has evaluated the effects of artificial additives on children’s behavior, but believes most children do not experience adverse effects from consuming them.
TGI FRIDAYS IS CLOSING A DOZEN OF STORES IN AMERICA IN JUST ONE MONTH
Michigan protesters on Tuesday urged WK Kellogg to eliminate artificial colors from all its breakfast cereals. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)
WK Kellogg told FOX Business that its foods are safe and the ingredients meet federal regulations.
“Today, more than 85% of our cereal sales do not contain colorants from artificial sources,” Kellogg said in a statement. “In fact, we are continually innovating new grains that do not contain dyes from artificial sources across our largest brands, offering our consumers a wide choice of nutritious foods.”
The company said its goal to remove all colors from artificial sources in its foods around the world was based on its understanding at the time that a large portion of its consumers were looking for foods with natural ingredients and would welcome the change.
However, there was never any doubt about the safety or quality of the food, the company said.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
“The company only used colors that are considered safe and permitted by relevant laws and regulations,” said WK Kellogg. “The company then collected region-specific consumer insights to guide the creation of new recipes. In doing so, it came to the conclusion – like other food companies with similar ambitions – that consumer preferences regarding colors from artificial sources in food differ greatly between markets. For example, our cereal recipes using natural color alternatives are better received in the Canadian market than in the US.”
In response to the petition, WK Kellogg said it respects everyone’s right to express their opinions, adding that it will review the petition received Tuesday and share its concerns with the FDA.
