Are artificial food dyes bad for you?

William Atkins
Monday, 28 March 2011 22:53

Science - Health

Artificial food colorings such as FD&C Blue 1 and 2; FD&C Green 3, Orange B, FD&C Red 3, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Yellow 5 and 6 are in many of the foods we eat. The verdict is still out on whether these dyes are harmful to health or just a great way to make food more visually appealing.

 

 

However, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban such artificial food colorings.

The CSPI issued a report on June 3, 2008, calling for warning labels and, eventually, a ban on all artificial color additives in foods.

The FDA report 'Citizen Petition from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) requesting the revocation of the color additive approvals of eight synthetic dyes for use in food - Interim Toxicology Review Memorandum' was released on September 1, 2010, as a response to the earlier CSPI report.

It states the following:

'CSPI has submitted a petition requesting that FDA revoke approvals for eight certified color additives for use in foods: FD&C Blue 1 and 2, FD&C Green 3, Orange B, FD&C Red 3, FD&C Red 40, and FD&C Yellow 5 and 6.'

On March 30-31, 2011, the FDA's Food Advisory Committee will meet to discuss whether 'available relevant data demonstrate a link between children's consumption of synthetic color additives in food and adverse effects on behavior.'

Page two concludes.