Adrian Del Castillo showered with candy
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a ban on Red No. 3, also known as Erythrosine, a synthetic food coloring made from petroleum. This dye is used to give various foods and medications a bright cherry-red color. Red No. 3 has been banned in the European Union, the U.K., and much of Asia and Australia since the 1990s for use in cosmetics.
Frank Pallone Jr and Nancy Pelosi
Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. wrote, “With the holiday season in full swing where sweet treats are abundant, it is frightening that this chemical remains hidden in these foods that we and our children are eating.”
Frank Pallone Jr
Pallone added, “While food companies must ensure that the food they market is safe, they are also only required to ensure that their products meet FDA’s standards. This means that thousands of products that contain this chemical can remain on the market.”
NYU Langone Health Dr Marc Siegel
Clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health Dr. Marc Siegel said, “It’s been banned from skin products since the 1990s.”
Fruit Loops Giant size on the shelf
Siegel added, “So I wonder why is it not allowed in skin products? You know, something you can’t put on your face — yet a kid can eat it.”
Assorted jelly beans
Approximately 3,000 food products in the U.S. contain Red No. 3, according to Food Scores, a database maintained by the Environmental Working Group. The widespread use of the dye has raised concerns about its safety.
Peeps section
Principal scientist for food additives and supplements at the Center for Science in the Public Interest Thomas Galligan said, “These food dyes only serve one function in food, to make them look pretty so you and I want to buy it, it’s a marketing tool.”
Milk and dyed cereal
Research has linked Red No. 3 to cancer in animal studies and potential behavioral issues in children, including ADHD. Many studies suggest a correlation between synthetic dyes and health risks.
Pink colored Peeps
Galligan said, “The evidence now shows pretty conclusively that when some kids eat these, they will experience nervous system effects that look like ADHD.”
Assortment of fruit snacks
Galligan added, “There are 27 human clinical trials that show these dyes do in fact harm children’s behavior.”
Pop Tart
The FDA’s review of Red No. 3 was prompted by a petition invoking the Delaney Clause, which prohibits any food additive found to induce cancer in humans or animals.
Grocery store aisle, freezer section
The FDA’s review of Red No. 3 was prompted by a petition invoking the Delaney Clause, which prohibits any food additive found to induce cancer in humans or animals.
Dr Marc Siegel appears on The Doctors Radio Show on SiriusXM
Siegel added, “They know it’s going to happen one way or the other. So they want to do it now.”