Kraft Mac & Cheese Losing the Dyes

Move follows Change.org petition by food blogger Vani Hari
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 20, 2015 5:00 PM CDT
Kraft Mac & Cheese Losing the Dyes
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.   (AP Photo/Matt York)

This is the last year that the original version of Kraft Mac & Cheese sold in the US will contain artificial preservatives or synthetic colors. In January, Kraft says its macaroni and cheese will be colored using paprika, annatto, and turmeric. There has been a huge shift away from processed foods in the US, and larger food producers are trying to follow their customers in that direction. A Change.org petition begun in March 2013 by food activist Vani Hari, who blogs as the "Food Babe," asked Kraft to remove dyes from its macaroni and cheese. The petition garnered more than 365,000 signatures. Already the company is selling a version in the US, called Kraft Mac & Cheese Boxed Shapes, which has no artificial flavors, preservatives or synthetic colors.

Kraft said that its other macaroni and cheese varieties sold in the US, such as Shapes Cups, Original Cups, Premium Flavors, and Easy Mac will have no artificial flavors, preservatives or synthetic colors later next year. The Canadian macaroni and cheese version, called Kraft Dinner Original, will also eliminate synthetic colors by 2016's end. The company said that it has worked for some time to make the changes to the product, but had to ensure that customers would not notice a change in taste. "We weren't ready to change the product until we were confident that Kraft Macaroni & Cheese tastes like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese," the company says. (More Kraft Foods stories.)

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