Artificial Dye Safe to Eat, Panel Says

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — There is no proof that foods with artificial colorings cause hyperactivity in most children and there is no need for these foods to carry special warning labels, a government advisory panel voted Thursday.

The Food and Drug Administration convened the expert panel after agency scientists for the first time decided that while typical children may be unaffected by the dyes, those with behavior problems may see their symptoms worsen by eating food with synthetic color additives.

The debate over artificial dyes began in the 1970s when Dr. Benjamin Feingold, a pediatric allergist from California, had success treating the symptoms of hyperactivity in some children by prescribing a diet that, among other things, eliminated foods with artificial coloring.

But once the agency conceded that some children might be negatively affected by the foods, it had to decide what to do. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group, petitioned the agency to ban the dyes or, at the very least, mandate warnings that foods containing the dyes cause hyperactivity in children. Major food manufacturers staunchly defended the safety of artificial dyes and said no bans or warnings were needed.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/01/health/policy/01fda.html

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Thom Hartmann discussed this subject yesterday.

[KT2000]

1. good going

Why should corporations give a rippety crap what they are doing to children - especially just some children. They just need to buy a pharmaceutical company that sell ritalin and make even more money.

[avaistheone1]

2. May I have some with my pesticide plagued water?

Yum!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4796182





:sarcasm:

[pnwmom]

3. Yeah, it's safe, they say, except when it's not safe.

That's a relief.

:sarcasm:

[Kablooie]

4. Yum! It tastes good too!

[tavalon]

5. You guys eat it then

Thank goodness I don't take my health tips from government panels.

[PoliticAverse]

19. Next you'll be telling us you don't believe in food pyramid power... n/t

[alp227]

21. death panels? n/t

[truthisfreedom]

6. But but but, dye is so fun to eat!

It makes everything look so freaky fun!

[SkyDaddy7]

7. Maybe folks should not feed their children stuff that...

requires artificial food coloring.

[masmdu]

8. European Studies determined otherwise and a warning label is required there on foods containing dyes

Japan too?

[Nihil]

18. "Yah but they're just doggone forriners!"

"All-American stomachs are stronger than that so why can't we feed
ah kids fluorescent HFCS-filled fizzy shit by the bucketful?"

[Glimmer of Hope]

9. Ugh Just say no to processed food.

[No Elephants]

10. "Contains ingredients that WILL adversely affect some, though not all, children."

Why would a federal agency supported 100% by taxpayers, whose job it is to protect taxpayers see any need for a warning like that?

Same agency saw no need to follow the law when Monsanto wanted to sell engineered seed. Right, Justice Kagan?

[ixion]

11. Ya'll can drink up those dyes until you're blue in the face

bon appetite'.

I'll still with my REAL food, as opposed to artificial.

[customerserviceguy]

12. Isn't the presence of artificial flavors and colors

already required to be listed on an ingredients label? Or does anyone here think that some big splashy blurb on the packaging would be any more effective than the warning labels on cigarettes?

[No Elephants]

20. Apples and oranges.

Four year olds are not addicted to food coloring, as smokers are to cigarettes. Even if they were, they can't buy it for themselves.

As for being already listed, merely listing doesn't mean something is harmful to your kids. Even vitamins are listed.

[customerserviceguy]

23. I would think that

parents with children with these sensitivities would closely monitor ingredient labeling when figuring out what to buy for their families. Of course, there would be some who are oblivious, but I have the impression they'd be equally oblivious to their childrens' conditions in the first place. A splashy "Contains Artificial Stuff" burst on the face of a box of sugared cereal wouldn't matter to them, anyway.

I only point out the listing as being there anyway, for parents who actually are aware of their childrens' particular situation and are already motivated to do something about it. They're the ones who are going to pick up on the presence of artificial colorings and flavorings with the information already required to be provided.

[Taverner]

22. Part of the problem is defining what is "natural" or "artificial"

For example, Arsenic-based flavors is considered a "natural flavor", yet almond extract is not, because its an extract.

[customerserviceguy]

24. That's interesting

Sounds to me like concerned parents need to really educate themselves on what to buy for their families. I doubt that labeling requirements will force the arsenic-based flavor (I can't say I've ever heard of such a thing) to warn people of its presence, and the almond extract will have to disclose itself under this law.

[pam4water]

13. :(

[fasttense]

14. A little poison with your food never hurt anyone.

Well, only hurt some people. Well, at least until we have better studies that prove it hurts everyone but some not as badly as others.

[surrealAmerican]

15. What exactly is the standard here?

We already have warnings on products that contain peanuts, which are not a problem for the vast majority of people, but artificial color is somehow held to some other, laxer standard?

[Javaman]

16. Do you know what most artificial dyes are made from?

I read a great book recently, "deconstructing the twinkie".

Virtually all artificial dyes are made from crude oil.

The biggest manufacturing base of such is located in china.

Just google artificial food dye and crude oil. See for yourself.

[sasquuatch55]

17. Kool-aid drinkers rejoice! n/t

n/t