The Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. intensified his war against the food industry on Tuesday, stating that “sugar is poison.”
Mr. Kennedy’s comment occurred during a very publicized press conference where he also stated that he has “an understanding” with the main food manufacturers to eliminate oil -based food coloring from their products by 2026.
No one from the food industry attended the event, and none has publicly agreed to Mr. Kennedy’s demands, although the International Dairy Food Association has pledged to eliminate artificial colors in milk, cheese and yogurt sold to schools as part of federal lunch programs and breakfast at the beginning of the 2026 school year.
However, Mr. Kennedy and his advisors said that all food manufacturers and some fast food companies have contacted the agency for guidance.
“Within four years, we will have most of these products outside the market, or you will know about them when you go to the groceries,” Kennedy said.
The impulse of Mr. Kennedy to get food manufacturers to eliminate the dyes of their products is their first effort to sweep the reform of the food industry, which has long blamed for a long time to create and market ultraprocess foods that says they are making obese to Americans and contributing to a large number of diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.
He made an increase in his campaign with the commentary on sugar, lamenting that government agencies recommend “a large amount of sugar” for children, “and are hurting them, and is adding them, and is changing their taste papillae.”
Food and medication administration recommends that added sugar, sugar that is not naturally found in food, including fruits, do not represent more than 10 percent of the diet for children and adults.
“Sugar is poison,” said Kennedy, “and Americans need to know what is poison.”
Mr. Kennedy’s critics say that while their goal of making the food supply healthier is laudable, the cuts that are doing for scientific research subsidies, together with important personnel reductions in agencies such as FDA and national health institutes, will hinder their efforts. The same people who monitor the food industry, pointed out, are now without work.
Some have stopped frustration. The main nutritional scientist of NIH, Kevin Hall, recently resigned, saying that he was being censored. Jim Jones, the head of the FDA Food Division, resigned last month, saying that “indiscriminate” layoffs would make it “unsuccessful” for him to continue.
“I really wanted to work to follow the agenda of the department to improve the health of Americans by reducing chronic diseases and risks related to chemical diet in food,” Jones wrote at that time.
Mr. Kennedy delivered his comments in the Great Hall of the Department of Health and Human Services on a stage full of the so -called Maha’s mothers, women who drive their “Make America Healy Again” movement and their children.
Dr. Marty Makary, FDA Commissioner was joined; Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Health Institutes, and the Republican leaders of the states that have signed in their Maha movement, including the governor of West Virginia, who recently signed legislation that prohibits dyes in most foods.
Dr. Makary said he expected the cooperation of food manufacturers.
“You want more bees with honey than fire,” said Dr. Makary, and added that “I believe in love, and let’s start friendly and see if we can do this without any legal or regulatory change.”
