M&M’s, a popular U.S. chocolate candy, is temporarily removing two of its colors — blue and brown — as part of its transition from artificial to natural food dyes. The move comes after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. set his sights on the food dyes in popular snacks as part of his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement.

Natural Dye Challenges

Mars, the parent company of M&M’s, is having trouble re-creating the vibrant blue color using natural dyes. The company uses Blue No. 1 for the two temporarily-benched candy colors and has chosen spirulina, a blue-hued, high-protein superfood, as its natural replacement. However, Mars is experiencing problems with the texture, thickness, and consistency of the ingredient, leading to the upgrade and replacement of some production machines and the current disappearance of the shades.

The FDA has an “understanding” with food companies regarding artificial dyes, but it’s unclear how enforcement works. Some research suggests that certain children may be sensitive to artificial food dyes, and the FDA is continuing to monitor emerging research on the subject.

Original reporting: NBC Connecticut — read the source article.