A woman who claims to be an heir to cereal giant Kellogg’s has urged people to boycott the company over its use of ingredients linked to cancer.
Victoria Kellogg, who claims to be the great-great-granddaughter of the company’s founder, has accused Kellogg’s of “betraying” her family’s original vision.
The company is facing increasing pressure to eliminate dyes and flavorings that have been associated with cancer, ADHD and migraines.
Froot Loops and Apple Jacks in particular have been criticized because the American versions contain many ingredients banned in Europe, Canada and Australia.
Victoria said in an interview with anti junk food activist Vani Hari: ‘I would absolutely boycott Kellogg’s.
“(The founder’s) intention was to help people, and now people are getting very sick and it’s very, very sad.”
He added: “I would hope Kellogg’s would live up to my family’s legacy and simply do the right thing: remove food dyes from their products.”
Victoria, who also has skeptical views on vaccines, says she is related through her paternal line to Will Keith Kellogg, who founded the company in 1906 in Michigan.
Victoria Kellogg (below) was interviewed by Vani Hari about her views on the company’s use of food colors and additives. The screenshot above is from the interview.
The US arm of the company is worth $1.5 billion today.
Victoria said she has since spoken to some cousins who were “surprised” by her actions but “supported her.”
Several Kellogg’s cereals contain additives that have been banned or restricted in Europe, Canada and Australia, including Apple Jacks and Froot Loops, where the cereals are made with less harmful ingredients.
US Froot Loops, for example, contain red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6, which have been linked to cancer, tumors and hyperactivity in children.
Apple Jacks contain blue 1, which has also been linked to hyperactivity and kidney tumors in mice.
The graph above shows that the US version of Rainbow Krispies contains a number of ingredients that are banned or restricted in Europe.
Victoria is just the latest to join Kellogg’s growing insistence on removing chemicals from its products.
Actress Eva Mendes also revealed that she “won’t eat Kellogg’s anymore” after finding out about the additives.
Victoria said in the interview with Mrs Hari: ‘I would absolutely boycott Kellogg’s.
‘I’m willing to lose money on this if people are safe. Money isn’t everything in life, but when you’re sick in bed and your kids are sick in bed all their lives because they have health problems, money doesn’t really matter.
“(The founder’s) intention was to help people, and now people are getting really sick and it’s really, really sad.”
He added: “They should apologize for making a false vote and correct their mistake.”
The same was true for Froot Loops, which a former FDA food chief previously called the worst cereal in Europe.
Hari is leading efforts to get Kellogg’s to update its practices. He has also launched a petition that has garnered more than 400,000 signatures.
Hari is leading a movement to get Kellogg’s to remove potentially harmful dyes from its cereals.
She spoke to the Senate about the issue and also started a petition urging Kellogg’s to make the change, which now has more than 400,000 signatures.
Mrs Hari told DailyMail.com: ‘Kellogg’s voluntarily removed artificial food coloring from its cereals in Europe because they were going to have to put a cigarette-type warning on their products.
‘So to me they are responsible knowing that they are harming children but they continue to use these ingredients in the United States.
“I think all Americans should boycott Kellogg’s until they make these changes.”
Kellogg’s has been silent on social media since late October amid mounting pressure from its campaign.
In a TikTok video it posted in September, the company was bombarded with comments from the public asking when it was going to remove additives from its cereals.
One viewer asked: “Do your CEOs eat the European version or the American version?”, and a second added: “Can we get the European one?”
Red 40 is a synthetic food coloring made from petroleum.
Europe restricted its use in 2010 after a study suggested it was causing hyperactivity in children, forcing companies that use it to put a warning similar to that on a cigarette package on their products.
Actress Eva Mendes took to Instagram last week to call on Kellogg’s to remove “harmful” food colors and additives from its cereals.
The above compares Apple Jacks sold in the US and Australia, revealing that they use many ingredients in the US that are not in the version across the Pacific.
Froot Loops have been criticized in the US for the amount of additives they contain that are restricted or banned in other countries.
The Cleveland Clinic says the dye has also been linked to irritability and depression, skin irritation, migraines, and was suggested to have caused tumors in animals that were exposed to very high doses.
Pictured above is Kellogg founder Will Keith Kellogg.
It has not been banned in the US, but California will ban products containing the dye in its schools by December 2027.
Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 are made from coal tar and are used to give foods a bright, “appetizing” yellow color.
Some studies have also linked it to hyperactivity in children, and human studies have also suggested that it can damage the DNA of white blood cells and increase the risk of tumor formation.
A 2019 study also found that high concentrations of Yellow 5 administered to flies caused their death.
European regulators require foods containing Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 to carry a warning label, but there are no such restrictions in the United States.
Blue 1 is now made from oils, although initially it was also made from coal tar and used to give them a bright blue.
It has also been linked to hyperactivity in children and has been banned in Europe. There are no such restrictions in the US.