Hundreds of people demonstrated in Battle Creek Tuesday, demanding that Kellogg remove artificial dyes and the preservative BHT from cereal.
Kellogg uses natural color dyes in countries that ban the chemicals the company uses to color US versions of its cereals.
Activist, author and “Food Babe” blogger Vani Hari says the natural dyes the company uses in other countries are safer. She says the chemicals Kellogg uses in the US are banned in Canada, Australia, Europe and India.
Hari organized the demonstration and a petition drive, which according to her website, foodbabe.com, had 429,667 signatures by the end of the day on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Hari spoke to the large crowd at Friendship Park in downtown Battle Creek.
“It's time for Kellogg's to do the right thing for American families. We deserve the same safer cereals other countries get,” Hari said.
Kasha Rothy flew in from North Carolina to attend the rally with friends.
"Just because regulations are a lot laxer in the United States, they are literally choosing to put the toxic chemicals in the foods,” said Rothy, a former Michigan resident.
Lindsey Glasson and her two friends drove from the Detroit area to attend the demonstration.
“It’s very easy for them to color their cereals with natural items like carrots and blueberries and strawberries instead of using artificial chemicals," she said.
The protestors marched to Kellogg headquarters, where they dropped off boxes of petition signatures. The group also requested a meeting with the cereal manufacturer, but were not allowed in the building.
In an email, the company said it would review the petition and share it with the Food and Drug Administration.
In a separate statement, the company said its products meet all federal safety requirements.
