FDA to Examine Link Between Artificial Food Dyes and Hyperactivity

The US Food and Drug Administration has revealed that it will look into complaints that artificial food dyes can be linked to hyperactivity among kids and will then recommend the government over whether it should restrict their use. The use of artificial dyes on food items has been on the rise over the last few years with figures showing that their usage has increased by more than 50 percent over the last couple of decades. However a number of studies have shown a link between artificial dyes and hyperactivity among kids, which has led the FDA to conduct a two day meeting over the issue before passing on its recommendation to the government.

The British government has already banned six artificial dyes to be used on food items while the European Union requires any food products using the six dyes to bear a warning of “adverse effect on children” on the packages.

“There are sometimes nine different dyes in a food product. Moms and dads will say, ‘Here’s a fruit roll-up, that must be healthy.’ But it’s filled with dyes. And emerging science suggests it’s a harm to children”, the Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Laura Anderko said.



Source-Medindia