All the health risks of the 8 food dyes the FDA is banning — including cancer and behavioral issues

“Food dye is just a no-brainer. Nobody wants to eat petroleum. Everybody knows there’s enough science out there that we know it’s terrible for you. It causes health problems but also behavioral problems,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at a Tuesday news conference. Here’s a look at the health concerns surrounding the eight artificial dyes on the chopping block.

 Food Doesn’t Have to Wear Makeup

Food coloring has no purpose and plenty of negatives. We only allow it still because the system is broken. Chemicals like Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Blue No. 1 make American food look better. These additives are the culinary equivalents of lipstick and mascara, and they are often made from the same pigments. Making food pretty has become the status quo in the U.S., but it’s not doing us any good: Not only does it trick us into thinking some foods are healthier than they are, but the dyes themselves may be harmful. So why do we use keep using these dyes when so many other countries manage without them?

 RFK Jr.'s plan to phase out synthetic food dyes could face industry pushback

The Food and Drug Administration will take several actions aimed at phasing out synthetic dyes. FDA commissioner Marty Makary announced that the agency will work with the industry to voluntarily eliminate six commonly used dyes by the end of next year. It will also start the process of banning two other colorants, Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B; and it's asking food companies to speed up the timeline for removing the previously banned colorant Red No. 3.

Food Dyes A Rainbow of Risks

Food dyes, synthesized originally from coal tar and now petroleum, have long been controversial. Many dyes have been banned because of their adverse effects on laboratory animals. This report finds that many of the nine currently approved dyes raise health concerns.

Colorful sweets may look tasty, but some researchers question whether synthetic dyes may pose health risks to your colon and rectum

Increasing concentrations of synthetic red and yellow food dyes cause DNA damage in colon cancer cells in a controlled lab environment.

Developmental toxicity of Orange B given to rats in drinking water

Orange B, a pyrazolone dye used to color frankfurter and sausage casings, was given in distilled drinking water to pregnant Osborne-Mendel rats throughout gestation.

Do food dyes make ADHD worse? Here's what parents should know

For their part, food dyes first came under scrutiny in the 1970s when a pediatric allergist from California named Benjamin Feingold suggested that removing them from a child's diet could treat ADHD symptoms. Ensuing research and consensus within the scientific community during the 1980s effectively debunked such a broad claim. But later research again showed a correlation—if not causation—between the consumption of food dyes and exacerbated symptoms of behavioral conditions, including ADHD.

FDA Bans Red No. 3, Leaving 8 Synthetic Dyes In America’s Food

Companies must remove Red No. 3 from their products by January 2027. While this is a step in the right direction, there are still eight artificial dyes approved for human consumption. What are they, which foods contain them, and what are the health risks to humans?

FDA Probes Link Between Food Dyes, Kids' Behavior

CSPI wants the FDA to ban eight artificial food dyes. Jacobson is particularly concerned with Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6, which make up 90 percent of the food dyes on the market.

Food dyes to avoid: the ultimate guide

When you’re browsing the aisles of your local grocery store, it’s easy to be drawn to the vibrant, colorful packaging that lines the shelves. The bright hues in your favorite candies, baked goods, and even some beverages are often due to food dyes. These additives are used to enhance the appearance of food and drinks, making them more visually appealing. Unfortunately, some food dyes can have potentially harmful effects on your body. Here’s a roundup of food dyes with some info, so you can make more informed choices about what you and your family consume.

Food Dyes | An overview of all the dyes currently used in Food

Food dyes include natural colors, which are obtained mostly from vegetable sources and are frequently referred to as vegetable dyes; inorganic pigments; mixtures of organic and metallic compounds (called lakes); and synthetic coal-tar chemicals. The first synthetic food colorings were made from coal tar in 1856. Currently, food colors are generally produced from petroleum.

Four Incredibly Harmful Effects Artificial Dyes Have On Our Health

Food dyes are man-made, complex chemicals that were originally made from coal tar, but are now made from petroleum. Petroleum is a crude oil product, which is commonly used to also make gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt (the sticky black stuff that a driveway is paved with), and plastic. Sounds pretty appetizing right?

GMOs Aren't the Only Thing to Worry About: Here Are More Gross Things We Eat and Drink Every Day

More evidence for the file marked "Why It's Always Good to Think About What You're Eating"! There are all kinds of strange things we eat and drink every day without really knowing it. Take a look: Dye: Even though food labels may list dyes in their lists of ingredients—Yellow 6, Blue 1, Red 40—there hasn't been a lot of information as to how much of those dyes make up the food. But a new study by Purdue University has revealed that certain cereals, candies, baked goods, drinks, boxed macaroni, and more can often contain startling amounts of the dyes—Kraft. Research has suggested that ingesting 35 to 100 milligrams or more of these dyes may actually trigger behavior problems in kids (a serving of Skittles, for example, contains 33.3 mg of the artificial dyes).

Health Controversy: Do You Avoid Food Dyes?

Since the 1970s, some experts have recommended avoiding foods with artificial dyes in them (especially for children--some doctors linked the dyes with hyperactivity and behavioral disorders in the kids). The issue was somewhat shelved for a little while, but now, it looks like it's going to be reexamined...

REGULATION: Death of a Dye

Without it, instant chocolate pudding would be greenish, artificially flavored grape soda would look blue, and cake mixes would have a lemony-green tinge. The substance is Red Dye No. 2, which has been used for decades to brighten up innumerable products, including frankfurter casings, pet foods, ice cream, gravies, makeup and myriad red pills. About 1 million pounds of the coal-tar-based stuff—a $5 million industry in itself—have ended up annually in more than $10 billion worth of foods, drugs and cosmetics.

Simply red: why one colour became so powerful

Red is simply sensational and its dominant place in today’s world of colour owes much to events that took place many thousands of years ago. One of humankind’s earliest observable activities was their decorative use of colour – in fact, it is one of the things that makes us human. And we can track down red’s hold over us by tracing the way artists got their colour over time – from animals, vegetables and minerals.

Surprise! Foods you’d never guess contain artificial food dye

Three colors in particular – Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5 and Yellow Dye No. 6 – make up 90 percent of food dye used in the U.S. More than 36,000 food products sold in the U.S. contain Red 40, according to the Department of Agriculture’s branded foods database. It’s by far the most used dye, measured by pounds consumed. And EWG’s Food Scores database, which rates products on their nutrition, ingredient and processing concerns, contains about 13,000 products made with dye.

The Artificial Food Dye Blues

Artificial dyes derived from petroleum are found in thousands of foods. In particular breakfast cereals, candy, snacks, beverages, vitamins, and other products aimed at children are colored with dyes. Even some fresh oranges are dipped in dye to brighten them and provide uniform color...

The Artificial Food Dye Blues

In 2008 the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in Washington, DC, petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban artificial food dyes because of their connection to behavioral problems in children. Two years later a new CSPI report, Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks, further concludes that the nine artificial dyes approved in the United States likely are carcinogenic, cause hypersensitivity reactions and behavioral problems, or are inadequately tested.

The Dangerous Dyes and Other Food Additives States Want to Ban

Following California’s lead, more states are trying to keep harmful additives out of our food and our schools.

This Company Just Ditched Artificial Food Dyes - 2016

In a press release about the change, Mars announced that it’s ditching all artificial colors as “part of a commitment to meet evolving consumer preferences.” The company states that though artificial colors do not pose risks to humans, it is now working on ways to develop vibrant natural colors for candies like M&Ms, Skittles and other products.

What is food dye?

From popsicles to pistachios and from meat to mac and cheese, synthetic food dyes are everywhere. Their vibrant colors make food appealing and increase our appetite. But many dyes also pose serious health risks. Made with petroleum-oil-based chemicals, artificial coloring has been associated with various health harms. Health concerns include behavioral and developmental issues in some children and the potential for increased risk of cancer. The U.S. is one of the few industrialized countries without strict regulations on these harmful chemicals. Many countries, including Australia, Japan and those within the European Union, either restrict or ban these chemicals from use. EWG is particularly concerned with the potentially harmful effects of seven food dyes: Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2, Green Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5 and Yellow Dye No. 6.

Why California Is Considering Banning Food Dyes in Schools

Concerns about their risks have been swirling for years. Here’s what the science suggests.