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Dangers associated with food dyes
Synthetic food dyes are used in many processed foods, such as
colored
breakfast cereals, candy, and fruit-flavored beverages and
snacks. A total of15 million pounds of dyes are added to the U.S.
food supply each year. Our
consumption of food dyes has increased 5-fold since 1955 as our
nation has
consumed more and more packaged foods.1
These synthetic dyes have been linked to a wide variety of
health concernsincluding behavioral problems, hyperactivity,
allergic reactions, and even
cancers. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI),
an organization
that advocates for nutrition and food safety, is calling for a
ban on these
synthetic dyes. Food-based dyes such as beet juice and turmeric
are readily
available, but are more expensive and often less bright, making
synthetic dyes
more attractive to food manufacturers.
Food dyes and allergic reactions:
Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 have been reported to
cause allergic
reactions in some people.Food dyes and hyperactivity:
Food dyes are of particular concern for children, since many
colored foods are
marketed to children, and their smaller body size makes them
more susceptible
to potential toxins. Hyperactivity in children following
ingestion of food dyes is
well-documented in placebo-controlled studies. Furthermore, a
2004 meta-
analysis of 16 studies in children who were already hyperactive
showed that
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their hyperactive behavior increased in response to food
colorings.2 In a study
published in Lancet in 2007, researchers tested two different
mixtures of food
dyes vs. placebo in children of two age groups one mixture
increased
hyperactivity in 3 year old children, and both mixtures
increased hyperactivity
in the 8-9 year-olds.3 This study sparked a reaction by the
British
government. They instructed food manufacturers to eliminate all
of thesesynthetic dyes by the end of 2009. In fact, starting later
this month, a warning
notice will be required on dyed foods in Europe stating that
these foods may
have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.4
As a result,
several international food companies now produce products with
food-based
dyes or no dyes in the U.K., but continue to include synthetic
dyes in their U.S.
products.
Food dyes and cancer:
There are eight commonly used synthetic dyes in the U.S., and
all have
undergone toxicity and tumorigenicity testing in animals. CSPI
summarized theresults of cancer-related studies in a recent
report1:
y Red 3 was acknowledged by the FDA to be a carcinogen in 1985
and wasbanned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. However
Red 3 is still
used in ingested drugs and foods.
y The three most widely used dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6)
whichaccount for 90% of dyes in the U.S. are contaminated with low
levels of
chemical carcinogens, as byproducts of the manufacturing
process. Although the FDA places limits on the concentrations of
these
contaminants in the final dye products, they still may pose
risks.
y Citrus Red 2 added to the diet resulted in bladder tumors.y
Red 3 resulted in thyroid tumors and caused DNA damage.
In their report, CSPI noted flaws in many of the animal cancer
studies on Yellow
6, Yellow 5, Red 40, Green 3, and Blue 2, including bias most
studies were
either commissioned or conducted by dye manufacturers, short
duration, andlack of exposure to dyes during fetal development.
Additional studies are likely
needed to determine whether these dyes are safe.
The simplest and most effective way to avoid the potential
harmful effects ofsynthetic dyes is to avoid processed foods.
Unrefined plant foods containhealth promoting phytochemicals, not
empty calories and synthetic additives of
questionable safety. When buying the occasional packaged food,
check the
ingredient list to avoid synthetic dyes.
