Ban harmful petroleum based food coloring
- by: Kristine White
- recipient: Food and Drug Administration
Artificial food dye is in almost everything we eat, and very few people know how harmful it is on children and adults. Since the 1970's, studies have proven that these petroleum based dyes are carcinogenic (cancer causing) and have been linked to hyperactivity, ADD, ADHD, and learning disorders in children (and adults) The FDA refuses to stop manufacturers from adding these harmful substances because they are "safe in amounts intended" but they have not specified how much is too much. Other countries have forced food manufacturers to put warning labels on any product that contains artificial food coloring, and since manufacturers don't want to sell anything with a warning label, they use natural dye to color the food. These artificial dyes are not nutritional at all, toxics and need to be removed! Sign this petition, and ALSO help make an impact by reducing the amount of food you buy with coloring, and start making purchases with dye-free food! Small changes in routine lead to big changes in health.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (cspinet.org) has a lot of information regarding these dyes and other harmful chemicals, so here are some helpful links.
For more info about the effects in children http://www.cspinet.org/new/200806022.html
This PDF details each risk of each different color and much more http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdf
Learn more about other food additives http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm ~~ Chemical Cuisine is also an app for your phone so that you can look up chemicals and items before you buy them. Last time I checked, it was only 99 cents!
CSPI's petition to ban artificial food dye in the US http://www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/petition-food-dyes.pdf
and last but not least, there is the Feingold program. It was designed to target those families with hyperactivity concerns. It is a program, not a diet, which eliminates artificial dyes (among other things) in food and cosmetic products, and provides information and resources for colorful alternatives. One might be surprised with testimonial results. The website is http://feingold.org/
Please share this petition with everyone you know, not only so that we get these harmful chemicals out of our food, but also to educate your friends and family that they could make healthier choices!
We the undersigned are deeply concerned about artificial food coloring that is being added to our food. Artificial dyes are made using petroleum, and are proven to be harmful in different aspects of life. Dr. Feingold was the first to publicize his findings in the 1970's. He showed that when children are subjected to the additives, they showed increased signs of hyperactivity, ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, and other disorders almost immediately after consumption. But when the ingredients were eliminated altogether, the "disorder" seemed to go away in most cases, or the effects were minimized greatly. Yet another reason to rid our food of artificial dyes is the known carcinogenic effects. In clinical studies, they have caused testicular, thyroid and adrenal tumors in lab animals. These dyes are NOT food. They are chemicals, petroleum, and provide no nutrition.
I think it's time action is taken to start removing them from so many of our food sources. Warning the public of the health concerns caused by artificial dyes is a step in the right direction. Encouraging natural color alternatives such as beet juice and beta carotene to corporations that produce our food will improve our trust in the FDA. Manufacturers use natural (food/plant based) dye in several countries in Europe, and we demand the same . Not only are artificial dyes clearly harmful, but they have no nutritional value, and greatly inconvenience anyone who tries to avoid them. United States citizens have a right to know what manufacturers are putting on our food. Sure, there is an ingredient list, but how effective is that if we don’t know what "Red 40" is made of? Most people don’t know that dye is being put on our oranges, so how will they avoid it? There are so many people in this country that are completely unaware of the chances they are taking by consuming products with artificial dyes, and they need to be informed via warning labels on the products that the dye may cause the issues stated above.
I expect the people at the FDA will weigh the magnitude of this matter with a heavy heart, considering the health of our future generation is at stake.
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