The hazards of red dye no. 3 remain a concern and in the headlines, especially since California recently became the first state in this country to ban a food product currently allowed by the Food and Drug Administration.
Discovered in 1907, this synthetic dye, also known as erythrosine, immediately became popular for its brilliant red color. Originally derived from coal tar, today it is produced from petroleum and can be found in popsicles, candies, strawberry-flavored milks, Peeps, bubble gum, drinks, cereal, yogurt and fruit snacks.
Less obvious are Red 3-infused products such as loaded casserole potatoes and vegetarian bacon.
Because food and trade groups are predictably reluctant to voluntarily relinquish the bright, flashy food colors that are so appealing to a massive children’s market, policing has been left to the FDA.
“There is so much confusing and conflicting information around food additives and food in general,” said Paige Aberasturi, a registered dietitian with Start Fueling Better, a Charleston-area podcast and coaching service. “For example, the actual food packaging and marketing within stores misleads people.”
Aberasturi helps her clients navigate the overwhelming world of food choices as well as the marketing ploys and traps that so often trip them up.
In 1990, when a study with rats seemed to indicate a connection between cancer and red dye no. 3, the FDA intervened, banning it from cosmetics and external medications but not from internal consumption. The agency discounted the original animal study as not providing enough concrete evidence supporting the dye’s potential to cause human cancer.
Recently, 21 food agencies rallied behind the passage of California’s Food Safety Act, AB418, in an attempt to embarrass the FDA into taking further action against red 3.
The California Environmental Protection Agency declares it has found direct links between artificial colorings, including red 3, and children’s changed behavior in more than 13 of 25 studies. Critics of the dye also point elsewhere, including Canada and the European Union, where no. 3 is either already banned, covered in warning labels or limited to only a handful of approved products.
With 15,000 new or enhanced food products filling grocery shelves each year, the average shopper rarely stops to decipher the artificial additives lurking within. However, many parents of children struggling with attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or other behavioral diagnoses are convinced of the negative connection and choose to purchase only products that are as free of artificial additives as possible.
Also, health-conscious adults and those battling serious medical issues often choose clean eating as a way to strengthen and support their bodies. For all of these consumers, identifying and eliminating questionable foods containing red 3 and other additives can be a major difficulty.
“Food allergies, food intolerances and food sensitivities work differently within the body and are all tested differently. Some tests are more reliable than others. I work with children and food sensitivities, and I can say that even babies can be tested for these,” Aberasturi explained. “It’s not uncommon for someone to have symptoms related to food additives, but parents have no idea that is the case. There are so many different things added to our foods that it can be extremely challenging to pinpoint the cause of your symptoms on your own.”
The good news is that at least some companies in the food industry appear to be listening to consumer concerns. Red 3 has already been removed from Skittles and M&M candies. While returning to natural dyes such as cabbage, turmeric, beets and paprika may not be as cost-effective to produce, a steadily growing sector of health-conscious American families will be watching and appreciating further food-industry upgrades.
Why Red Dye? ‘We Eat Frst With Our Eyes.’
First-century Roman merchant, food-lover and one of the first recorded cookbook authors, Marcus Gavius Apicius, once matter-of-factly observed, “We eat first with our eyes.” For centuries, this simple truth has been the driving force behind the development of thousands of synthetic dyes and preservatives.
Cleverly incorporated, these additions coax unsuspecting consumers to desire every attractive new food product and menu delicacy that hits the market. The food industry employs enormous amounts of money and manpower to this end.
Unfortunately, while hundreds of harmful additives have been weeded out over the years, many new and remaining artificial dyes have not been adequately tested for safety, including those used in combination with other food chemicals.
By Janet E. Perrigo
