Red Dye and Other Food Additives

If you are like me, you don’t always have time to read up on the latest news. You may have heard some chatter about red dye and other food additives being banned in New York and California. Are you not sure why this is necessary? Are you not clear on what is happening? I made a simple top 5 list to help you keep your family healthy and safe. I also included a little food swap graphic here to help you make some simple changes in your home.

Top 10 things you should know about Red Dye and Food Additives:

1. What Foods are We Talking About? - Dangerous additives are in over 2000 packaged snacks mostly marketed to children. Did you know it is found in Dorritos, Fruit Snacks, Dole Fruit Cups, most gum, and even bacon bits.

2. Why Should We Care? - Red No 3, like other synthetic dyes, is linked to cancer , behavior difficulties and even may cause Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. In fact the California Health Agency found that the current federal levels for “safe” intake may not protect children’s brain health. This statement alone is a reason to care: “According to the FDA’s own estimates, American children ages 2 to 5 end up consuming twice as much Red Dye No. 3 as the general population on a body-weight basis.”

3. What Can We Do? The good news is: The Environmental Working Group and the Center for Science in Public Interest are pushing two different bills in California and New York to ban these additives from our foods. In California, The bill is awaiting the governors signature.

The not so good news is: Unfortunately a former version of the bill also included the food coloring agent titanium dioxide (which is found in Skittles) The chemical had been linked to damage in DNA, called genotoxicity, according to a European Food Safety Authority report, leading the European Union to ban the chemical last year. The FDA had issued a statement after the bill was introduced earlier this year asserting the chemical is safe in foods.

4. Did You Know?- Important to know that in 1990, the FDA banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in cosmetic products like lipsticks, powders, blushes and skin care lotions, but unfortunately it still remains in our food!

5. What Happens Next? If signed the bill in California doesn’t go into effect until 2027. But if you know more…you can do more. Start by making healthy swaps the next time you are buying your family packaged snacks. Linking some of my favorite packaged snacks here.