Dive Brief:
- The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has released a report that targets the FDA for permitting the use of artificial food dyes, which the organization says leads to behavioral problems in children.
- CSPI cites research that shows healthcare providers have found that eliminating artificial dyes from children's diets can reduce children's behavioral issues.
- Many manufacturers of products children eat, such as child-oriented candies, fruit-flavored snacks, and drink mixes, often contain artificial food dyes. These include Red 40 and Yellow 5, which CSPI asked the FDA to ban in 2008 along with six other artificial dyes.
Dive Insight:
CSPI points out that many of the major manufacturers using these dyes have developed versions of these products without artificial colorings to sell in Europe, where regulators require companies to label the potentially adverse behavioral effects artificial dyes can have.
"Major food companies like Coca-Cola, General Mills, McDonald’s, and PepsiCo should be embarrassed that they’re selling their American customers foods colored with Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, and other synthetic dyes, even as they’re selling naturally colored or dye-free versions of the same foods in Europe," CSPI president Michael F. Jacobson said in a statement. "American children will continue to be exposed to these powerful chemicals so long as FDA lags behind its European counterparts."
Many companies have announced already they would eliminate artificial colorings from their products, including General Mills' cereals and fruit snacks, Kellogg's cereals, and Kraft macaroni and cheese products.
More announcements like these are expected as consumers call for products devoid of artificial ingredients and as the FDA accepts comments regarding a definition for "natural" on food labeling.