In the hopes of making food healthier, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese has decided to make its cheesy delights all natural.
Photo By: Erin King, Photographer

By: Marium Shaikh, Reporter

Everyone recognizes the bright orange color of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, but in response to customer complaints, Kraft is bringing changes to its product by removing the artificial dyes.

Junior Bailey Tyre says, “I love Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, it was and still is one of my favorite foods. I can recall my grandmother telling me that Macaroni & Cheese is the key to happiness.”

This will be the last year that Kraft Macaroni & Cheese will contain artificial preservatives or synthetic colors. This shift to all natural ingredients comes from consumer pressure to simplify ingredients on food labels. In January, Kraft announced that it will begin coloring its Macaroni & Cheese by using ingredients such as paprika, annatto, and turmeric, all natural ingredients.

As of now, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Shapes will not have artificial flavors, preservatives, or synthetic coloring. Kraft has also stated that other macaroni and cheese varieties such as Shapes Cups, Original Cups, Premium Flavors, and Easy Mac will not have artificial flavors, preservatives, or synthetic colors as of next year.

This shift to all natural ingredients comes from consumer pressure to simplify ingredients on food labels.

Many large companies including Nestle, Hershey, and Frito-Lay have also decided to take steps to remove artificial dyes from their products as well.

Sophomore Giovanna Centeno says, “These changes will positively affect Kraft because many more people will see that it now contains healthier ingredients, which will most likely attract more people to buy the new product.”

This change also comes from pressure on Kraft from activists, in particular a petition led by a food blogger named Vani Hari, who goes by the name “Food Babe” online. Her petition, on Change.org, has over 350,000 signatures. Kraft also made the changes after it was pressured by the consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest, which said certain dyes can trigger hyperactivity in children.

Tyre says, “I strongly believe more companies should work toward making healthier products because the level of obesity is increasing very rapidly.”

Many preservatives can lead to health problems, which can cause breathing difficulties, behavioral challenges, heart damage and cancer. In a 2003 double-blind study of 1,873 children the consumption of food additives and preservatives led to significant increase in hyperactive behavior.

Sophomore Zack Wilken says, “There is a trend of people following healthier eating habits, therefore I think that companies should either change their products to be healthier.”

As Kraft works towards the use of less or no preservatives, other food companies and fast food chains are also working to avoid the use of harmful ingredients in their foods. Dunkin Donuts has announced that it will stop using a whitening agent and McDonald’s plans to rid antibiotic use in its chicken supply. Last year, Subway announced the removal of a controversial chemical called azodicarbonamide from bread.

With this shift to having more natural ingredients in food, Americans may be looking at a healthier future.