Why does the rest of the world eats safer than us? What quickly come to my mind is our abundance of GMO products. There must be a reason so much of the world bans GMO products? Read my earlier blog on this matter.
The latest ‘insult’, as I see it, is that in the EU a warning label (since July 2010) is placed on products that contain artificial dyes. A landmark UK study (University Southampton, 2007) found association between food dyes and behavioral problems in children. “We found mixtures of certain artificial colors together with sodium benzoate preservative in the diet increased the average level of hyperactivity in 3 and 8/9-year-old children in the general population,” Dr. Jim Stevenson, lead author of the study. More ADHD diagnosed children.
Why does Kraft®’s macaroni and cheese in the EU have no artificial dyes BUT do in the USA? US consumers get “Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No.6! Why not use paprika and other natural dyes as they use for UK children? In the UK, McDonald®’s strawberry sundae uses real strawberries while in US, Red dye No.40 is used!
You might wonder where is the FDA? Well they approved 9 petroleum-based color dyes! Horrible!
The way US FDA thinks is ‘innocent till proven guilty’ whilst in other countries ‘possible harm’ – even when evidence is ‘inconclusive’ – prevails in making the judgement.
The FDA uses the ‘precautionary’ principle for new drugs (years of testing) YET allows non-evaluated food dye chemicals. In 2011 the FDA determined that in ‘some children dyes’ do have ‘an effect’.
Dyes are only used for cosmetic purpose so why not focus on use of healthy foodstuff? Other than marketing there is no benefit from use of dye chemicals in foods.
Weigh very carefully what your children eat!
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