Don’t let RFK Jr distract from the big health threat: Sugar

ARE there “toxic chemicals” in food killing Americans? That fear is getting lots of attention thanks to Robert F Kennedy Jr, president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy contends that substances banned in Europe are tainting our cereals and other processed foods.

Kennedy has targeted Froot Loops as an example of the failings of the US food regulation system. The US version of the cereal, for example, gets its flavouring and vibrant colours from artificial food dyes. In contrast, the Canadian version’s flavours and muted colours come from ingredients such as the concentrated juices of watermelon, blueberries and carrots.

But that doesn’t mean the dyes used in US food are toxic or killing anyone. Other countries take a more cautious approach to food additives, sometimes banning them because they can’t be proven safe beyond a shadow of a doubt.