The Potential Dangers of Food Dyes

Food dyes are prevalent among processed foods, as they are used to bolster the visual appeal of snacks, candy, cereals, drinks, and other shelf-stable foods. Red-40 is a type of food dye present in at least 30% of foods. While they provide allure to many food products, food dyes have several negative health implications that are crucial to understand.  

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What Are Food Dyes?

Artificial food dyes are synthetically made and widely used in food production to enhance the appearance of foods and make them more shelf-stable. In some cases, food dyes are added to colorless foods to make them more visually appealing, and in other cases, they are used to replace the color of food lost in the food production process. Yet, research evidence presents links between these dyes and adverse health effects.

Brief History of Food Dyes

Previously, foods were colored using plant-based ingredients like saffron, turmeric, and beetroot. Synthetic dyes became more common in the 19th century with the advent of processed foods, used for visual appeal and shelf stability. Regulations around synthetic food dyes have evolved over the years as questions about their safety remain at the forefront.

More than a century ago, the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act in the United States (U.S.) significantly changed regulations around food production, including establishing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), setting requirements around medications, and prohibiting misbranded items. 

Over the next decades, regulations regarding the production of foods and medications have continued to change, leading to stricter guidelines for public safety. It’s important to note that many countries around the world have much tighter regulations regarding artificial food dyes than the U.S.

Types of Food Dyes

There are both Natural and Artificial/Synthetic food dyes:

Natural Food Dyes

Natural food dyes are made from plants, minerals, and other naturally occurring compounds. Not only do they add color, but some also provide nutritious benefits. Here are some commonly used natural food dyes:

• Turmeric - Its vibrant yellow color is often used in mustards, curry powder, dill pickles, and non-dairy cheeses.
• Beetroot - Known for its red/pink hue, it is added to baked goods, drinks, and other snacks.
• Paprika - Known for its deep rusty red color, it is made from crushed red bell peppers and is often used in deli meats, sausages, and savory snacks.
• Saffron - A more golden yellow than turmeric, with somewhat of a milder flavor, saffron is commonly used to color rice and other grains.
• Spinach - The green hue in spinach provides a strong green color for soups, pastas, sauces, and other ready-made foods.
• Carrot juice - With its vibrant orange color, it is used in drinks, sauces, snacks, and fruit purees.
• Spirulina - Using its blue-green tone, spirulina is used to color many baked goods.

Artificial/Synthetic Food Dyes

Synthetic food dyes enhance or restore lost color in food products, increase shelf stability, and promote uniformity in mass-produced products. They have gained popularity in the food industry because they are visually appealing, offer consistent color, and are affordable in large quantities.

• Red dye number 40 (allura red) and red dye 3 have been linked to behavioral disturbances and hyperactivity in children, bladder and urinary irritation, gastrointestinal inflammation, and DNA damage that may lead to cancer formation. It is prevalent in the food supply, with statistics saying it is found in up to 30% of food products:some text
  • Candies, like gummy bears and hard candies
  • Drinks, like sodas and fruit-flavored drinks
  • Gelatins and popsicles
  • Cereals, like those that are red
  • Medications

• Yellow dyes numbers 5 and 6 (also called tartrazine and sunset yellow) can cause allergic reactions and may worsen asthma severity in patients who have the atopic triad. It is found in similar types of foods as red 40:some text
  • Candies that are yellow on color, like lemon-flavored candies
  • Some sodas or sports drinks
  • Yellow gelatins or popsicles
  • Cereals, like those that are yellow
  • Medications

• Blue dyes numbers 1 and 2 (brilliant blue and indigo) may cause behavioral disturbances, similar to Red 40. Its vibrant color is often attractive to children and is presented in flavors like blue raspberry and blueberry. Common sources are candies, frozen treats, sugary drinks, and medications.

• Green dye number 3 (fast green FCF) is linked to multiple types of cancers, endocrine dysregulations, allergic reactions, and behavioral disturbances. This green dye is found in many food sources:some text
  • Candies, including gummies and hard candies
  • Drinks, including sodas, sports drinks, and other sugary, fruit-flavored drinks
  • Ice creams and other frozen desserts
  • Salad dressings and sauces
  • Medications

The Dangers of Food Dyes

While food dyes offer the benefits of visual appeal and product uniformity, they are known to cause adverse health concerns. The degree of potential risk depends upon the type of dye, the amount of dye a patient takes in, and individual sensitivity to these synthetic compounds. 

What Are the Harmful Effects of Artificial Dye?

Potential harms from food dyes vary widely.

• Behavioral disturbances - Food dyes are linked to hyperactivity and disrupted behaviors, which are most common in children with ADHD or autism.
• Allergic reactions and hypersensitivity - Allergic reactions, hypersensitivity reactions, and respiratory issues can all occur due to artificial food dyes, specifically in patients with allergy, asthma, or atopic predispositions.
• Hormone disruptions - Tartrazine (yellow dye) has been linked to disruptions in levels of thyroid hormones and reproductive hormones at various stages in the life cycle.
• Various types of cancers - While many of the studies linking artificial food dyes to cancers have been animal studies, this bears significant potential in humans as well due to DNA breakage and genetic damage.
• Gastrointestinal upset - Food dyes can cause inflammation of the colon and disrupt the gut microbiome, leading to not only gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, constipation, and malabsorption but also more systemic problems like inflammation, obesity, and poor immune function.
• Nutrient deficiencies - Artificial food dyes may impair nutrient absorption by causing inflammatory damage to the gut mucosa. Furthermore, foods that contain artificial food dyes are generally highly processed, and consuming a diet high in processed foods also increases the risk for nutrient deficiencies.

Should You Avoid Food Dyes?

Synthetic alternative food products are rarely (if ever) more healthy than their natural counterparts. The steps involved in food processing remove beneficial nutrients and add more harmful components that can lead to significant health risks. Synthetic ingredients are usually proinflammatory, meaning their metabolism incites a cascade of inflammation within the body that can lead to organ and tissue damage.

Avoiding synthetic food dyes and instead opting for foods that contain natural food coloring helps not only eliminate harmful food ingredients but also may introduce food ingredients that have potentially beneficial effects, like turmeric (anti-inflammatory properties), spinach (phytonutrients), and carrot juice (vitamin A).

Avoiding artificial food dyes requires carefully reading the ingredients list on food labels. Look for terms that use letters, numbers, and the color of the dye, such as “Red No 40” or “Yellow No 5.” Furthermore, simply stating “artificial flavors” or even “natural flavors” indicates ingredients that aren’t spelled out by name for some reason. 

It is also important to note that manufacturers are not required to specify the amounts of food dyes in their products, so if artificial food dyes are present, it is usually best to skip the food altogether.

It isn’t clear which artificial food dye is the most dangerous. However, Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5 may get the most attention based on their potential harms of behavioral disturbance, allergic risk, and carcinogenicity.

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Key Takeaways

• Artificial food dyes are widely used in the food supply worldwide to enhance visual appeal, improve shelf stability, and ensure uniformity across product lines.
• Regulations around food dye have evolved through the years and differ globally.
• Artificial food dyes may cause many harmful health effects, like behavioral disturbances, hyperactivity, carcinogenesis, inflammation, gastrointestinal upset, hormone imbalances, and allergic reactions.
• Natural food coloring alternatives can offer benefits beyond enhanced visual appeal. These ingredients are often plant-based and may be beneficial to other health aspects. 
• To minimize food dyes in the diet, when choosing food products, read the food label ingredients list carefully to identify any added food dyes or colors that may be problematic.