Kellogg said Wednesday its cereals, including Froot Loops and Apple Jacks, will be free of artificial colors and the preservative BHT by the end of the year.
BHT, or butylated hydroxytoluene, is a preservative used to help extend the shelf life of foods.
The new recipes will use colors derived from natural sources, including fruit and vegetable juices and other plant-based ingredients.
The company said it has already reformulated cereals served in schools to remove artificial colors and stopped introducing new products containing artificial colors earlier this year.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | New research uncovers increase in unhealthy ingredients in kids’ cereals
“More and more consumers are looking for foods made with simple, recognizable ingredients and we are proud to meet those expectations, even sooner than planned,” Chief Growth Officer Doug VanDeVelde said in a statement.
VanDeVelde said the company conducted consumer testing to ensure the new recipes maintain the taste consumers expect while preserving the cereals’ signature rainbow colors using natural alternatives.
The company said it is completing the transition a year ahead of its original schedule.
“We have always evolved our food and packaging to meet the needs and preferences of our consumers,” Chief Operating Officer Jean-Baptiste Santoul said. “Today’s announcement is just the latest evidence of that long-standing practice.”
