General Mills Pledges to Remove Artificial Flavors and Colors From Cereals by 2016

General Mills announced this week it is committed to removing artificial colors and flavors from its cereals by the end of 2016.

The company says more than 60 percent of of General Mills Cereals like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Original Cheerios are already without artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources and have been that way for a long time.

But it now plans to have more than 90 percent of the portfolio of cereals free of artificial colors and flavors. Cereal favorites such as Trix and Reese’s Puffs will be among the first of the remaining brands to change.

Trix will now use ingredients like fruit and vegetable juices and spice extracts such as turmeric and annatto to achieve the fun red, yellow, orange and purple colors. Reese’s Puffs will continue to use peanut butter and cocoa, and incorporate natural vanilla flavor to achieve the same great taste that families have always enjoyed. Consumers can expect to see the updated Trix and Reese’s Puffs cereals on store shelves this winter.

“We have a lot of hard work ahead of us and we know some products will present challenges as we strive to uphold the taste, quality and fun in every spoonful of cereal,” acknowledged Kate Gallager, General Mills cereal developer. “Cereals that contain marshmallows, like Lucky Charms, may take longer, but we are committed to finding a way to keep the magically delicious taste as we work to take out the artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources.”

According to the press release, the goal of the company is to have all General Mills cereals free of artificial colors and flavors by the end of 2017.

As someone who has worked hard to eliminate artificial flavors and colors from my diet, I welcome this news. Two or three nights a week, I may have cereal for a snack or even for dinner. This news expands the types of cereal I can enjoy.

And as one of the leading manufacturers of cereal in the U.S., General Mills’ decision will hopefully spur on change from other companies.

What are your thoughts on this? Will it make General Mills cereals more attractive to you to buy for your family or yourself?

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