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Last week, the Food and Drug Administration Ban announced A food dye called Red No. 3, which has been linked to cancer in animal studies.
The news comes on the heels of a bill California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law in September Six is prohibited other food coloring from school cafeteria menus, largely due to concerns that the dyes could cause behavioral problems in children. Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, promised in October that “Tell the cereal companies: Take all the colors out of their food“
All of this can be confusing, even for those who consider themselves reasonably informed consumers of food and science news (read: me). We must throw our all out The ring pops? Ken RFK Jr., noted vaccine skeptic and leader of the Trumpian “make America healthy again” movement, is on the same side as Newsom, a vocal Trump’s opponentAnd some very mainstream epidemiologists and public health experts? Let’s break it all down.
What does science say about food coloring?
Artificial food colors are liquids or powders that are added to foods and beverages to make them appear cooler; Nine are currently in use In the US (it will be eight when the Red No. 3 ban goes into effect in 2027). Seen in everything from dyes Doritos from ritual – RFK Jr. has been particularly criticized Fruit Loops.
To understand the controversy surrounding these ingredients, it helps to understand the history of the FDA’s Red No. 3 ban. In the 1980s, researchers found that eating Red No. 3 resulted in a Increased risk of thyroid cancer in male rats. Human studies have not shown such a risk, and the FDA says the risk is related to rats Aspects of rodent biology that humans lack.
But in 2022, food watchdog groups petitioned the FDA, arguing that the agency was legally required to ban any substance known to cause cancer in animals. Last week, the FDA agreed. There is no new information, and no evidence yet, that red candy, icing or cherries cause cancer in humans, but the additive will be phased out of the food supply within the next two years.
The science of color and behavior is more complex. Researchers have long been concerned that food coloring may exacerbate symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In 2021, a review of available research conducted by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment found evidence that The dyes were “associated with adverse neurobehavioral effectssuch as inattention, hyperactivity, and restlessness in sensitive children.” It’s not clear what makes a child “sensitive” to these dyes—researchers have found effects in children with and without an ADHD diagnosis. And when a particular color, Red No. 40While ADHD symptoms have received the most attention, some studies show several dyes together, making it difficult to know which is causing the effect.
More research is needed, but some experts say there is enough to suggest some restrictions on synthetic colors in the food supply. “Certainly within our schools, we shouldn’t be promoting foods that have these,” Asha Bradman, a University of California public health professor who worked on the 2021 review, told me.
How did the conversation around the dye get so heated?
But that subtle message isn’t what you’ll get Large swathes of TikTok and InstagramWhere influencers call dyes “poisonous” and “poison” and instruct parents to eliminate all dyes from their children’s diets in order to drastically improve their behavior. Conversations about dyes have become part of much larger discussions about food, children, and health RFK Jr. and some “clean” eating influencers Arguing that parents need to cut a laundry list of ingredients from their family’s diet to keep their kids healthy.
Cutting out dyes may not make all children behave well, as not every child is sensitive to dyes in the first place. And strictly restricting food has its own risks, says Christy Harrison, a registered dietitian and host of the podcast Rethinking Wellnesstold me. It’s one thing to stock up on dye-free snacks in your home pantry (even if they’re more expensive). But “when you go with people who are like, ‘I’m reading every label, I’m not letting anything touch my kid’s lips with a dye in it,'” Harrison said, “I think it’s setting up for kids a pretty messed up relationship with food. .”
A restricted diet can also create unnecessary fear, he said Joe BisbingA psychotherapist who specializes in eating disorders. He’s seen families whose kids have panic attacks at birthday parties because they’re not sure if they’re allowed to eat cake, he told me. “Stress and anxiety, whether it’s a parent or a child — it’s not good for health,” says Bisbing.
Harrison said restricting dyes and other ingredients targeted by RFK Jr. and wellness influencers could be a “gateway” to embracing more harmful beliefs, such as the idea that vaccines are dangerous. “It’s important to know that grains of truth can coexist with misinformation and conspiracy theories.”
There’s also some potential in the idea that if we get rid of food dyes, we’ll eliminate ADHD, Bisbing says — a Neurotype that Probably existed for millennia And that comes with both disadvantages convenience. It is noteworthy that RFK Jr. questions about vaccinations They are also rooted in the debunked idea of another form of autism Neurodivergence. “As long as we look at ADHD and autism to solve problems, we’re really spending our energy on the wrong things,” Bisbing said.
Conversations about babies and food can grow louder RFK Jr. was confirmed. But amid the noise, families can still maintain a healthy, relaxed attitude toward eating, experts say. For Harrison, it’s pretty simple: “Allowing your kids some flexibility and having a home where all food is accepted and all food is good.”
what am i reading
Federal immigration authorities have announced that the Trump administration Can arrest people at schoolReversing the longstanding policy of avoiding these areas. Lawyers are worried The change would make some immigrant parents afraid to take their children to school, thereby depriving them of an education.
School lunch debt continues Climb in 2024. However, eight states now have public free school meal programs, and a ninth, New York, may soon join them.
Personal-Economic Influencers Convey Kids They can “attract wealth” with a “growth mindset” and this is distorting their ideas about work, money and life.
My older child is now swallowing exclusively Gravity Falls– Related content including graphic novels Gravity Falls: The Lost Legend.
from my inbox
Earlier this month, I wrote about laws aimed at keeping children off social media, often to protect their mental health. But reader Christopher Ferguson, professor of psychology at Stetson University, points out that an analysis He performed with colleagues, “We conclude that, so far, the evidence is unable to link social media use to youth mental health, contrary to many public beliefs.”
And last week, after writing about the children whose schools were destroyed in the California wildfires, a reader This list is shared Providing convenient services of education specialists and tutors for children affected by fire. This is the listMeanwhile, include therapists who are providing help.
Thanks to everyone who wrote in to share thoughts and resources, and as always, you can reach me at anna.north@vox.com.
