What has the FDA done to protect the American People from toxic food dyes?

 

What has the FDA done to protect the American People from toxic food dyes?

In my previous blog, we talked about the effects petroleum food dyes have both physically and mentally on humans, especially in young children. This blog will educate on who is responsible for educating the consumer on the food quality they consume. Shouldn’t we all be able to do our research and get informed? Well, lucky for us Americans, we have a government that has a federal agency called the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They were developed to promote and educate through several increased avenues. Avenues include press releases, the FDA website, social media platforms, and product labeling. As the article on the FDA website mentions, they monitor a wide range of products, including foods, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and tobacco products.

The FDA has no specific recommendations on what is or isn’t safe because they feel if it's on the shelf, it's passed their regulation standards. However, the consumer should continue to monitor possible side effects from these harmful additives. The article "Artificial Food Dyes" states, "Between 1960 and 2015, the use of artificial food dyes increased by 500%" (Alic). This increase may have happened so rapidly that the FDA is still trying to catch up with the consumer feedback. We should all stay informed by reading labels and staying informed with the FDA advisors. Ensuring we are educating ourselves with credible sources of information.

The dangers of processed foods have become an oversight to the American public. Many don’t seem to understand the long-term effects and risks to their health. Some parents may have a surface-level understanding of the effects but shrug it off that their child will grow out of it. Some might have their child be seen by a doctor for behavioral or attention concerns and then be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD and given medications. However, consumers should connect the information provided previously regarding the significant increase in the use of food dyes and the substantial increase in our society being diagnosed with such behavioral and attention concerns. The article mentions that during an unpublished study, “it found synthetic food dyes have been found to damage DNA in rodents” (Hofseth). The dyes are used in so many varieties of foods that you will be surprised once you start reading the labels and understanding the various languages used to describe these dyes and fool the public. The article “Artificial Food Colors” mentions, “FD&C Red No.40 is a suspected cause of lymph tumors”(Ronzio). The additional side effects confirmed in experiments in animals are chromosomal damage, brain tumors, adrenal kidney tumors, and bladder tumors. People need to wake up; our food sources are essentially poisoning us.

Soft drinks, desserts, and candy are the most common foods containing these dyes. This is because we associate vibrant colors with dyes. Cheese and butter were the first foods the government authorized to use for food coloring in the 1800s. What about foods that don’t necessarily have a vibrant color to them? A bowl of oatmeal can seem like a great choice; however, check the label for caramel coloring. Or how about that jar of pickles? Better check for yellow dye additives. How about that strawberry-flavored applesauce your child eats for their lunch? You better check that for Red 40.

The FDA does require food additives to be certified through their color additive certification process. Their website states that in 2022, FDA-certified batches a total of 28.1 million pounds of color additive, much of it for food uses. The FDA website says, “Some color additives may contain impurities of toxicological concern, which can have an adverse impact on human health.” Giving consumers more reason for more transparent labeling of such food dyes. For a company to use a dye in its product, it goes through an approval process, including a scientific evaluation for its safe consumption. As mentioned on the FDA website, “All labeling and packaging must be informative and truthful, with the labeling information in English.” The FDA does routine field exams and collects imported food samples, checking compliance with labeling.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fsca_esv%3D51669af93238bc5e%26q%3Dfood%2Bdyes%2Bare%2Btoxic%26tbm%3Dvid%26source%3Dlnms%26sa%3DX%26ved%3D2ahUKEwik7tyFmuGEAxX2I&source_ve_path=MTY0NTAz&feature=emb_share&v=3j7kuOpvFKo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fsca_esv%3D51669af93238bc5e%26q%3Dfood%2Bdyes%2Bare%2Btoxic%26tbm%3Dvid%26source%3Dlnms%26sa%3DX%26ved%3D2ahUKEwik7tyFmuGEAxX2I&source_ve_path=MTY0NTAz&feature=emb_share&v=3j7kuOpvFKo

​​​​Importing FDA Regulated Products | FDA

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Alic, Margaret. “Artificial Food Dyes.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Food Labels, edited by Gale, 1st ed., Gale, 2017. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/articles/Qm9va0FydGljbGU6NjY0MTAw?aid=104444.

 

Hofseth, Lorne J. “Colorful Sweets May Look Tasty, but Some Researchers Question Whether Synthetic Dyes May Pose Health Risks to Your Colon and Rectum (Dec. 2021).” The Conversation: An Independent Source of Analysis from Academic Researchers, edited by The Conversation, 1st ed., The Conversation, 2024. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/articles/Qm9va0FydGljbGU6NDU1MzYyMg==?aid=104444.

 

Ronzio, Robert. “Artificial Food Colors.” Library of Health and Living: The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health, by Robert Ronzio, 3rd ed., Facts On File, 2017. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/articles/Qm9va0FydGljbGU6MTIwMDU2OQ==?aid=104444

 

 

 

 

Consumers should always be on alert about what they are consuming. Understanding the health risks of consuming food dyes will require you to check those labels closely. Knowledge of the effects will help reduce the risk of exposure, as there have been increasing concerns about their safety over the years. 

The most consumed food coloring is Red 40 and Yellow 5. Red 40 is derived from petroleum, and Yellow 5 is derived from coal tar. These dyes and others are added to candies, beverages, and desserts. The food industry uses them primarily for attraction as they have no flavor. They are used as a marketing tool to attract their youngest victims, our youth. The article "Artificial Food Dyes" states, "Between 1960 and 2015, use of artificial food dyes increased by 500%" (Alic 3). Additionally, the article states, "Artificial food dyes are used to improve the visual appeal of food, making it more appetizing” (Alic 3).

There are documented health claims of both behavioral and allergic reactions from these food dyes. Allergic reactions such as itching and hives have been explicitly reported from Yellow 5 consumption. The article "Potential impacts of synthetic food dyes on activity and attention in children: a review of the human and animal evidence" states, "Current evidence from studies in humans, largely from controlled exposure studies in children, supports a relationship between food dye exposure and adverse behavioral outcomes in children, both with and without pre-existing behavioral conditions” (Miller 3). There have been behavioral claims that these dyes cause hyperactivity and even aggression in young children.

I can relate to fellow consumers; reading the ingredient labels is overwhelming. They can be overbearing with tons of unfamiliar vocabulary to the general population. Not to mention the print, could it get any smaller? The variations in vocabulary from product to product can be so different, leading to more frustration and confusion. Products can list other variations of the name, such as Yellow 5, which can also be listed as Tartrazine, challenging consumers to be aware of the variation of complex names. 

Large companies have made great strides in addressing these concerns by finding natural ways to switch out these harmful food dyes. Companies like Nestle USA have removed food dyes on all their chocolate products and updated their labeling to educate consumers (Alic 3). In 2016, Kraft Foods changed its Original Kraft Macaroni & Cheese recipe to include annatto, paprika, and turmeric to replace the food dyes they once used (Alic 3). These two companies are setting the path for safer and healthier alternatives. It will take time and, unfortunately, at the expense of our youth. While the FDA claims the food dyes are safe. The FDA website states, "The totality of scientific evidence indicates that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives, but some evidence suggests that certain children may be sensitive to them." This should not be very encouraging to anyone who hopes our government will step in at some point.

Increasing awareness on this topic is vital in educating people about the dangers of synthetic food dyes. We must ask our local businesses to list food dyes on their menus. We need to bring awareness to our medical professionals so they can give better medical advice to parents instead of suggesting medications as the only solution. Bring dieticians into classrooms to educate students and staff members so they can be aware of its dangers and effects on students' education and overall health. The FDA website provides a great resource on what has been done in the past on the topic of synthetic petroleum food dyes and whether they are safe.

 

https://youtu.be/nQzOHAwCfXs?si=nK1cCtExJsSm2Vyj

Citations:

Alic, Margaret. “Artificial Food Dyes.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Food Labels, edited by Gale, 1st ed., Gale, 2017. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/articles/Qm9va0FydGljbGU6NjY0MTAw?aid=104444.

 

Miller, Mark D., et al. "Potential impacts of synthetic food dyes on activity and attention in children: a review of the human and animal evidence." Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source, vol. 21, no. 1, 29 Apr. 2022, p. NA. Gale In Context: Environmental Studies, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A701981088/GPS?u=lec_infores&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=7487c3f0. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

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