What are food dyes?
According to the FDA, color additives, also known as food dyes, include “any dye, pigment, or other substance that can impart color to a food, drug, or cosmetic or to the human body.” Color additives are used in food products to improve appearance, correct color variations, and account for color loss from environmental exposures like temperature extremes or moisture. In drug or cosmetic products, they can be used to visibly identify products (for example, colors of different medication dosages may differ to interpret proper dosages.) Food dyes can be found in many foods and beverages we commonly consume, including Gatorade, Skittles, Froot Loops, and Vlasic’s Sweet Relish!
How does the FDA regulate them?
If a color additive is FDA-approved, regulations state which foods it is approved for, how much can be used, and how it should be labeled. The FDA regulates color additives through Color Additive Petitions, lists of new color additives and new uses for color additives, batch certifications, and food label monitoring. Color Additive Petitions are required from manufacturers to get approval to use new color additives in foods. These manufacturers must register with the FDA. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) lists which additives and uses are safe. Batch certification programs test new color additives and new batches of approved color additives before they are used in products to ensure continued safety and compliance with listing regulations. The list of safe color additives and uses is updated based on these tests. Color additives may only be used if they are on the approved list, used as described on the approved list, and comply with the listing regulations of the FDA.
The nine FDA-approved, certified color additives are:
- FD&C Blue No. 1
- FD&C Blue No. 2
- FD&C Green No. 3
- Orange B
- Citrus Red No. 2
- FD&C Red No. 3
- FD&C Red No. 40
- FD&C Yellow No. 5
- FD&C Yellow No. 6
*These can show up in different variations on food labels. For example, FD&C Blue No.1 may be labeled simply as ‘Blue 1.’
However, not all color additives must undergo batch certification. Exempt colors come from natural sources like vegetables, minerals, or animals. These exempt colors do not need to be tested in the certification programs that certified colors do, but they must still be approved before being used in food. Certified colors are synthetic and must be tested through certification programs.
How can I tell which products contain color additives?
FDA regulations state that certified color additives must be listed on ingredient labels as their approved name, or a variation of that as mentioned above. Exempt color additives can be listed under the term “artificial colors,” “color added,” or “artificial color added” without specifying the specific additive. Carmine/cochineal extract (an exempt color additive) must be labeled explicitly due to the possibility of allergic reactions.
Are these additives safe for children? What does the research say?
There have been emerging reports of possible adverse effects of color additives on the neurological behaviors of children. With this emerging evidence, the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) evaluated the current available research, reviewing human clinical trials and animal studies. Twenty-five out of the 27 clinical trials reviewed were challenge studies, and 13 of these studies determined a significant association between food dye consumption and behavioral impacts on children. Challenge studies are defined by systematic exposure (in this case, food dyes) and subsequent monitoring of effects (in this case, behavior changes.) Behavioral impacts commonly include reduced attention span and increased hyperactivity.
Results were dependent on the kind and amounts of food dyes consumed and a child’s specific susceptibility or pre-existing neurobehavioral conditions. Although some of the studies reviewed determined a positive association, more research is needed. Research like this is sufficient to raise concern but still inconclusive to warrant no regulation change.
What should I do about this?
This is a complex area to navigate as a lot of this research is still emerging or has not been sufficient to hold the attention of the FDA. However, research done in the 1980s and 90s on the food dye ‘Red 3’ determined its cancer-causing properties in animals, and it has still been allowed in US food products to this day.
Nevertheless, this isn’t something that should cause you to throw out all the products in your pantry that contain color additives. If your child has been diagnosed with pre-existing neurobehavioral conditions like ADHD, for example, it may be warranted to limit the amount of color additives they consume and check food labels for any possible additives moving forward. If you are particularly concerned, you may experiment with fewer color additives in your child’s diet and see if you observe any changes in your child’s behavior or consult your child’s physician for further advice. Ultimately, it can be very challenging to eliminate color additives entirely in your child’s diet until any significant regulation changes are made since these additives exist so commonly in our food supply.
Whether your child has been diagnosed with pre-existing behavioral conditions or not, whole, unprocessed foods are emphasized as much as possible in children’s diets. These foods provide great nutritional value that will help your child grow without the additives or question marks that often come with many dye-containing products.
Written by: Carolyn McHugh – Dietetic Intern
Leave a Reply