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In-N-Out is removing artificial coloring from two of its drinks and changing its ketchup. The moves come a few weeks after the US government said it will ban some synthetic dyes because of health concerns. The burger chain is eliminating artificial dyes from its strawberry milkshakes and pink lemonade, replacing them with natural coloring. It’s also in the “process of transitioning” to a new ketchup that uses real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Both changes are part of the chain’s “ongoing commitment to providing our customers with the highest-quality ingredients,” an In-N-Out spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration announced plans to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the US food supply over the next several years. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the dyes — which companies use to give food and drinks brighter colors and make them more appealing — “poisonous compounds.” However, which dyes carry risk to human health and at what level is unclear. Historically, research on food dyes has been underfunded, and experts say the FDA hasn’t thoroughly reviewed food dyes for decades. Some studies show that dyes can pass through the human body quickly, but others show that they might accumulate over time. Meanwhile, high-fructose corn syrup — a common ingredient in ketchup — isn’t being banned. But Kennedy has been vocal about his disdain for sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup, which he called a “formula for making you obese and diabetic” during a podcast last year. In-N-Out isn’t the only restaurant chain to embrace the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. Steak ‘n Shake, another burger chain with about 400 locations nationwide, announced earlier this year that it now cooks its fries in beef tallow, not vegetable oil. (However, Steak ’n Shake’s suppliers are still partially frying fries, onion rings and chicken tenders with vegetable oil prior to shipping them to restaurants.) Salad purveyor Sweetgreen has removed seed oils, another ingredient that Kennedy has bashed, from all of its products and launched a “seed oil-free menu” in January. “From ultra-processed ingredients to artificial additives, there’s a lot on our plates that isn’t doing us any favors. We believe this moment is our chance to change that—to redefine food so it nourishes us, supports our communities, and honors the people who grow it,” wrote Sweetgreen CEO Jonathan Neman on LinkedIn. Seed oil is found in ultra-processed foods, and there are studies linking ultra-processed foods to many health conditions. But additional studies also link the consumption of animal fats to adverse health outcomes.
