Going Green: Stella's Homemade Ice Cream Leads the Way in the Natural Dye Revolution
Southern ice cream parlor implements drastic menu transformation following food dye ban
Embracing change and prioritizing health, Stella's Homemade Ice Cream in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, has boldly decided to phase out artificial food dyes, promoting a brighter and more wholesome future for its customers.
With a family-inspired inspiration, Haley King, the shop's owner, spearheaded the decision. In the early days of Stella's Homemade Ice Cream, King's niece was just a few months old, and her sister was acutely aware of the dangers of artificial dyes in her diet. This experience left a lasting impression on King, leading her to explore the impact of dyes in their diets.
While most ice cream brands available in grocery stores rely on synthetic colors, Stella's Homemade Ice Cream, being a homemade, artisanal establishment, has the flexibility to regulate the amount of dye used in their creations, should they choose to use any at all.
In a noteworthy turn of events, the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a ban on petroleum-based synthetic dyes, championed by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Commissioner Martin Makary. This move indubitably promises a sea change in the food industry, potentially affecting the production of popular products such as M&Ms, cereals, and ice cream.
In light of this development, King has expressed optimism that larger companies will catch on and adopt natural alternatives to artificial food coloring, paving the way for smaller businesses, like Stella's, to follow suit.
Already, Stella's Homemade Ice Cream has made a commendable effort to minimize its dependence on artificial dyes. According to King, around 150 of their 200 flavors are dye-free. Yet, she admits that some of the flavors that do contain dye are, for the most part, beyond their control, given that they use products like Froot Loops or Fruity Pebbles, which are inherently brightly colored.
In an endeavor to further reduce their reliance on synthetic dyes, Stella's Homemade Ice Cream has delved into the world of natural alternatives, experimenting with organic options such as spirulina, turmeric extract, and purple carrot juice. The shop has even completed its first run of mint chocolate chip ice cream using the new, natural dyes.
While this shift towards natural dyes comes at a financial cost, King believes the advantages outweigh the expenses. As the trend of eliminating artificial dyes gains momentum with federal actions and state initiatives, it is expected that the price of natural alternatives will decrease, making it a more economically viable choice for businesses like Stella's.
In solidarity with the drive towards a healthier and more sustainable food supply, Stella's Homemade Ice Cream is at the forefront of the natural dye revolution, proving that delicious desserts can still be vibrant and inviting without compromising on health and wellness.
[1] FDA Announces Sweeping Plan to Phase Out Artificial Food Dyes, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements
[2] Artificially Colored Foods Linked to ADHD and Hyperactivity, American Psychological Association, www.apa.org/topics/artificial-colors-foods-linked-adhd
[3] State Legislation Targets Artificial Food Dyes, National Conference of State Legislatures, www.ncsl.org/research/agriculture-rural-development/state-legislation-targets-artificial-food-dyes.aspx
[4] A Rapid, Low-Cost, Ultrasensitive Method to Detect and Identify Food Colorants, Food and Chemical Toxicology, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691518315698
- Stella's Homemade Ice Cream, a champion of health and wellness in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, is leading the way in the natural dye revolution, having decided to phase out artificial food dyes.
- Influenced by her niece's sensitive digestive system, Haley King, the shop's owner, made the bold decision to eliminate artificial dyes from their homemade ice cream, setting an example for the rest of the industry.
- With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Health and Human Services (HHS) announcing a ban on petroleum-based synthetic dyes, there is a promising sea change in the food industry, potentially affecting products from food-and-drink giants like M&Ms and cereals.
- Stella's Homemade Ice Cream has shown commitment to this initiative, with approximately 150 of their 200 flavors being dye-free, although some flavors containing dye are influenced by necessity, as they use brightly colored products like Froot Loops or Fruity Pebbles.
- In an effort to further reduce their reliance on synthetic dyes, Stella's has started experimenting with natural alternatives, such as spirulina, turmeric extract, and purple carrot juice, and have successfully created their first run of mint chocolate chip ice cream using these new, organic dyes.
- Although adopting natural dyes comes with a financial cost, the long-term benefits, such as consumer demand for healthier products and potential cost reduction as more businesses transition, outweigh the initial expenses.
- As businesses across the country follow Stella's lead in prioritizing health and wellness, we may soon witness a transformed food-and-drink landscape comprising of nutritious, vibrant, and inviting desserts that align with the principles of science, finance, lifestyle, fitness-and-exercise, health-and-wellness, and business.
