Smucker’s just confirmed a major change coming to its iconic products, say goodbye to artificial dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 5.
The food giant announced it will remove all FD&C synthetic dyes from its sugar-free jams, dessert toppings, and popular Hostess treats like Twinkies and Sno Balls by 2026. The update is part of the J.M. Smucker Company’s broader commitment to reformulate products across its massive brand portfolio.
That means fans of those bright, nostalgic snacks are in for a visual change, but the goal is clear: clean up ingredient labels and align with mounting pressure from the FDA and federal officials to eliminate petroleum-based food dyes linked to health risks. Red Dye 3, which has already been banned from cosmetics for decades, is being outlawed from foods too. Brands like Smucker’s are voluntarily stepping up before the 2027 deadline kicks in.
The Smucker’s company has already made progress with its Uncrustables line, which is dye-free and has ditched high-fructose corn syrup entirely. Now, it’s pushing for cleaner labels across the board, including the baked goods sent to K–12 schools, where all products must be dye-free by the 2026–2027 school year.
In addition to jams and Hostess, Smucker’s owns big-name brands like Jif, Dunkin’, Meow Mix, Milk-Bone, and Folgers. The dye removal initiative will touch several corners of the food and beverage space, especially those familiar sweets kids grew up with. Even Sno Balls, which use Red 40 Lake, are on the chopping block for reformulation.
CEO Mark Smucker says this isn’t a trend but a commitment to “evolve and innovate” while meeting consumer expectations. The move lines up with similar shifts from Nestlé, Kraft Heinz, Conagra (behind Duncan Hines), and General Mills, all of which are also pledging to eliminate synthetic dyes from their products by 2027.
The pressure isn’t just coming from public demand, it’s also backed by the FDA’s latest regulations. Red Dye 3 is being banned in food after nearly 35 years of research linking it to cancer in lab rats. Companies have until January 15, 2027, to fully remove it from their products and until 2028 for medicines.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made headlines earlier this year by calling these dyes “poisonous compounds” that serve no purpose other than color and pose “real, measurable dangers” to kids’ health and development. The FDA, alongside Kennedy, plans to continue rolling out new rules to crack down on synthetic additives and chemical-based food coloring.
Retailers are also feeling the pressure. Sam’s Club is now forced to reformulate all of its home brand items by year-end, while other snack producers will need to tweak recipes and packaging depending on where their items are sold. Snacks will look different, but many experts say the changes are long overdue.
Whether you’re grabbing a jar of jam, a box of Twinkies, or a frozen Uncrustable, chances are it’ll look a little less colorful in the near future. But that’s kind of the point, safer, simpler ingredients without the petroleum-based extras. And with Smucker’s leading the charge, the industry is finally shifting to match what shoppers have been asking for all along.
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