What do dill pickles, strawberry-flavored marshmallows, macaroni and cheese and children’s vitamins all have in common?
Believe it or not, these are just a few of the thousands of everyday food and drug items that contain artificial coloring.
So, what’s a little neon-colored frosting between friends? As it turns out, more than you might think. A growing chorus around the world agrees as the very same artificial food dyes used in the U.S. are banned in dozens of other countries.
In 2008, after extensive study by numerous scientists going back nearly 40 years, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA to ban artificial food dyes because of their connection to behavioral problems in children.
Their 2010 follow-up report went further, stating that all nine artificial dyes approved for food usage in the United States are either carcinogenic or cause hypersensitivity and behavioral problems. They also concluded that none of these have been adequately tested for safe consumption.
From the labs of children …
Of all the research we did on the subject, a sixth-graders’ simple experiment proved the most fascinating. He began with four mice and taught each of them to navigate a maze. After learning the basics, each mouse performed consistently.
Next he added yellow food dye to the water of two of the mice and continued to run them through the maze. Their ability to navigate the familiar maze dropped markedly and within days it was taking them four to five times as long to finish as their “clean” counterparts.
Once the dye was removed from the water supply, navigation times dropped back to pre-dye levels within a week.
Dyes in our systems
What is it about food dyes that affect our behavior and health? To begin with, most numbered artificial dyes are petroleum-based. They typically contain dozens of ingredients, but one common to several formulas is coal tar. This byproduct of the coal industry can be found in shampoos, skin creams and artificially colored food, as well as roofing sealant and driveway patch. Benzidine, a known human carcinogen, is another ingredient commonly found in artificial dyes.
In countries that have banned some or all artificial dyes, food companies such as Kraft and Coca-Cola use naturally derived dyes. For example, orange Fanta sold in Britain is colored with pumpkin and carrot extract while the orange Fanta Americans consume contains Red #40 (linked to allergic reactions and hyperactivity) and Yellow #6 (connected to abdominal pain, kidney tumors, chromosomal damage, and hyperactivity).
Where to find dyes
While nearly all of us ingest food dyes daily, they are most predominant in food and other products marketed to our children. They are hidden in toothpaste and mouthwash, vitamins and over-the-counter pain medications, cough syrup and lozenges.
Frozen treats like slushies provide the opportunity to drink extremely large amounts of artificial dyes in one setting as they are so often consumed in 36-, 48- or even 60-ounce portions.
A recent study published in Clinical Pediatrics found that multi-colored children’s cereals such as Fruity Pebbles and Trix and colorful candies like M&Ms and Twizzlers are the worst offenders in terms of total amount of artificial food dyes contained.
Other than being banned by the National Organic Program for use in certified organic food, there has been no regulatory action in this country to ban artificial dyes or even to require warning labels such as those required in the European Union which read “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
We have to work a bit harder, but we can eat like we care about ourselves and our children. Read labels. Buy organic. Avoid processed foods with artificial ingredients. You know what to do!
Now get out there, eat well and be well.
Mark Ozias and Lisa Boulware are owners of The Red Rooster Grocery. Reach them at columnists@sequimgazette.com.
