by Melissa Clark Vickers
August 24, 2010

It is a century old debate—one that began in 1899. A couple of professors and two representatives from butter associations appeared before Congress to complain about a bill that would prohibit them from coloring their butter with anything other than vegetable dye. They claimed that the organic compound aniline dye they were currently using was not harmful to health.

Fast forward to 2010. The debate continues, but it is now centered around the effect of food colorings on child behavior—specifically, whether artificial food colorings make children hyperactive.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says no, at least not for most children. But this opinion is not shared by the European Union, which, effective July 20, 2010, declared that foods containing artificial food colorings (with few exceptions) must have a warning label clearly stating that the food “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” The British government had already asked manufacturers to remove most dyes from foods by the end of last year.

Why such a range of opinions?
A growing body of research suggests a connection between food dyes and children’s behavior. In the 1970s, Dr. Ben Feingold, a San Francisco allergist, gained notoriety when he recommended modifying the diets of children with behavior problems, eliminating food dyes. Parents reported a noticeable improvement in their children’s behavior. Similarly, a meta-analysis in 2004 identified a link between food dyes and neurobehavioral toxicity, but the authors cited numerous study limitations.

In 2008, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) petitioned the FDA to ban the use of dyes in food. CSPI hopes that this ruling from the European Union will serve as a wakeup call for the FDA to revisit the issue.

Representative Louise Slaughter, Chairman of the House Rules Committee, is the only microbiologist in Congress, and has written the FDA twice on this issue. Concerning the European policy, Slaughter said, “This is a sensible policy and a smart move to help protect the health and well being of children in Europe. For too long, studies have raised questions about the impact food dyes are having on the development of children and the possible link between dyes and behavior. I have been troubled by the lack of solid data on this issue for more than a decade. It’s my hope that the Food and Drug Administration reviews the abundance of science on this issue and considers implementing a similar restriction or outright ban.”

So what does this mean for your children?
Before you toss foods containing Red Dye #3, 6, 20, etc. into the trash, consider the fact that most of the foods commonly bought at the corner grocery store contain artificial coloring. So avoiding food dyes won’t be easy. But research indicates that some children are definitely more susceptible to the effects of the dyes than are others. How do you decide what to do? Here are some guidelines to consider:

• Read labels. That applies to more than just food dyes! The more complicated the ingredient listing, the more likely it is that something on that list may one day be found to be suspect.

• Choose healthy foods. More often than not, the items that contain food dyes are less nutritious compared to those without coloring. Opt for the bright natural colors of fresh fruits and vegetables and encourage your child to learn to enjoy them.

• Limit intake. Food dyes don’t seem to affect all children, so serving an occasional product with a synthetic dye is seldom an issue.

• Know your child. If your child has behavior problems—especially if you notice an increase in the intensity of these problems within an hour or two after eating food containing artificial dye—try eliminating foods with coloring for a week or two and see if your child’s behavior improves.

It remains unclear what effects artificial food coloring may have on some—or all—children. But even if the FDA decided tomorrow to revisit this issue, it will be some time before the United States took action similar to that of Europe. In the meantime, consider what is in the best interest of your children and imagine that every food containing artificial coloring carries the warning that Europeans will now see, and purchase foods for your children accordingly:

The food dyes in this product may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.

Editor’s Note—April 4, 2011:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently convened a panel to study the possible link between food dyes behavior issues, after scientists suggested that food dyes may negatively affect children with existing behavioral issues. Because there is no solid evidence that food dyes adversely affect the majority of children, the FDA announced that it will not issue a ban on food dyes. The consumer advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, had petitioned the FDA to at least put a warning on foods containing dyes, but the petition was rejected by a vote of 8-to-6. Major food manufacturers deny a link between hyperactivity and dyes in their products. In the meantime, more research is needed. Advocates hope the FDA ruling will prompt further study.