Kraft Mac & Cheese Is Dropping Artificial Dyes, Preservatives

Kraft Mac & Cheese will lose some of its iconic orange hue by January 2016, when the company will remove all artificial preservatives and dyes from its product formulation, Kraft announced Monday.

The switch to the more wholesome ingredients is thanks in large part to a dedicated campaign by online food blogger Vani Hari, better known as The Food Babe.

Hari's online petition, which called for Kraft to remove all artificial coloring from its popular product, recently gained considerable traction and support from many consumers, especially parents.

The new Kraft Mac & Cheese will be colored instead by spices like paprika and turmeric, and other natural sources. In a press conference, Kraft attributed the new formula to changing attitudes about product transparency, "including everything from improved nutrition to simpler ingredients."

Not long ago, it was Kraft that teamed up, with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, to get a nutrition seal for Kraft Singles. The partnership was short-lived, however, as members of the academy denounced the label, widely seen as an endorsement, and Kraft was forced to retreat.