Reference News website reported on June 18 that the German "Handelsblatt" website published an article titled "Kennedy's Transformation of the Food Industry Raises Many Questions" on June 16. The report stated that U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has recently ordered the ban of certain colorants and threatened to ban other additives. Kennedy is targeting one of the main issues in American society: a higher-than-average rate of obesity and chronic disease. However, not all of the additives he claims are harmful are extremely dangerous. Experts warn that Kennedy's plan may pose significant challenges to the food industry.

According to reports, in April this year, Kennedy implemented his first major project. The U.S. government announced the prohibition of certain artificial colorants in food and drugs. By the end of 2026, the United States will gradually phase out eight artificial colorants that were previously approved for use.

Kennedy also wants to ban vegetable oils such as sunflower oil or soybean oil. They are used in ultra-processed foods and fried foods. Recently, Kennedy called on large chain fast-food restaurants to switch back to butter instead of vegetable oils.

Many nutritionists emphasize that vegetable oils themselves are not unhealthy; if used properly, they can even be beneficial to health. The problem lies in the fact that Americans consume too many processed foods and fast food. However, Kennedy clearly attributes America's overweight problem to vegetable oils, even claiming that Americans are being "poisoned unconsciously."

Indeed, American society cannot be described as healthy. Americans' life expectancy is nearly four years shorter than in other developed countries, more than 40% of people are overweight or obese by adolescence, and 60% suffer from at least one chronic disease.

However, despite Kennedy's accurate judgment, he has been influenced by controversial stances on other issues. In recent years, he has repeatedly drawn attention with his conspiracy theories—especially his comments on vaccine side effects. All his statements carry a high degree of distrust toward the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

Just weeks ago, the White House released a detailed report attributing the increase in children's chronic diseases to ultra-processed foods, chemicals, lack of exercise, and over-medication. This report aims to provide a foundation for political action recommendations.

But the report received severe criticism. It is said that the authors cited non-existent research. The U.S. government had to correct multiple parts of the report.

This report caused unease in the food industry. Melissa Hockstad, president of the Consumer Brands Association, said that all food additives currently in use have undergone thorough examination through "scientific and risk-based assessment procedures" and have been proven safe.

Recently, executives from major U.S. food producers such as PepsiCo and Kellogg met with Kennedy. Additionally, agricultural operators warned that vegetable oils cannot simply be replaced. Scott Gerlt, chief economist of the American Soybean Association, said, "Simply put, there isn't enough production," animal fats are mainly by-products of meat production and only account for a small portion of edible oils, while olive oil production is limited and costly.

However, despite all the complaints, analysts still believe that the U.S. food industry is about to undergo dramatic changes. Nicolas Feridie, an analyst at Rabobank, said, "The U.S. food industry is entering a period of transformation," and companies must prepare for it. He suggested that companies should anticipate upcoming laws and make proactive changes, such as adopting new formulas or increasing transparency.

Feridie said, "Many international companies are already subject to stricter EU food production regulations." These regulations are typically more stringent than those in the United States. Feridie said, "If ingredient lists become more uniform, companies can earn more consumer trust."

Consumers may also be victims of Kennedy's mission to achieve health goals. The transformation of the food industry could lead to supermarket price increases, leaving consumers to foot the bill.

A recent study commissioned by the American Soybean Association and conducted by World Agribusiness Economic and Environmental Services showed that if vegetable oils are banned in food processing, the average price of oil products could rise by up to 35%. Butter prices are approximately twice that of soybean oil, while sugar prices could be 30% higher than corn syrup.

However, Trump promised Americans to lower food prices during his campaign, and he has close ties with American farmers.

Therefore, Feridie believes that Trump may obstruct Kennedy's policies by replacing him. After all, Trump frequently replaced officials during his first term as president.

It seems that whether Kennedy's health campaign succeeds depends on whether the U.S. President approves, and the latter is famously known as a "fast food enthusiast." (Translated by Zhong Siyue)

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7517129277742006799/

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