Allergy to red dye: what is all the controversy?

Do you know what red dye is? Yes, of course, it’s a food coloring. But what else do you know about it? Do you know that there is a controversy surrounding him? According to some doctors, it is simply a benign additive, but parents have found that their children experience unhealthy results from consuming it.

So what is the red dye? Red dye, or Red 40 as it is commonly known, is an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved colorant that is added to a large amount of food. We usually don’t even realize that much of our food is artificially colored. And it’s not just food; many medicines are also colored.

How is it done? It is made from crude oil extracted from the ground in Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.

Why is it added? It is used in the belief that it makes food and drugs more attractive. For example, people love to eat ripe red apples, strawberries, or other red fruits. Our minds are convinced that if a food or drug is red, it can also be delicious and good for us. Very often products in their original form may not be very palatable and Red 40 is a very cost effective way to achieve a beautiful colour. Something that appeals to the consumer is very important.

It is safe? When it was first approved by the FDA, there were many fears that it might cause tumors and cancers. In fact, one scientist cited a study that showed an animal fed Red 40 will become seriously ill, and a combination of Red with other dyes or preservatives will kill it. It was later shown not to cause cancer, but I haven’t heard of any follow-up studies proving or disproving the problem with animals.

But doesn’t the FDA say it’s safe? He does, but he also said that Viox was safe (causes heart attacks and strokes), and Paxil was safe (caused increased anxiety in adolescents, leading to increased risk of suicide), and many others; all of which have been recalled. Remember, the FDA is a severely underfunded organization. It is based on the fees you charge to test the companies products. With this money, he hires contractors and in many cases depends on the companies’ own testing procedures.

Does Red 40 cause problems in children? Many doctors insist that any behavior change is not due to this dye. They point out the controversy over sugar. Many parents will attest that their children will become extremely hyperactive after ingesting too much. These doctors have said that there is no evidence that sugar has any adverse effects. And just like with sugar, many parents see changes in their children after eating a product containing Red 40. After experiencing the results, some doctors are finally taking notice.

Can the red dye really affect children like this? According to Dr. Robert Needlman, “about 1 in 100, who were clearly much more active and out of control” when consuming an artificial diet that included Red 40. But most of the evidence is anecdotal. There are many parents who can tell you what you can do to their children. I can tell you what it does to my son. He has some of the reactions these parents describe.

What does “out of control” mean? Children can have many different reactions to Red 40, including increased tantrums, increased hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, uncontrollable crying and yelling, kicking, nervousness, and other things that parents can witness. They may physically get headaches or feel sick after eating anything that contains it. Adults can also feel sick or have migraines.

How can we know if a child has a reaction to Red 40? This is easy. Observe your child’s normal behavior. Does he have tantrums? Look how violent it is. Take a look at any of the other “out of control” behaviors listed above. Then feed him a juice containing Red 40; There are several different ones on the market. Reactions can occur in a matter of minutes. Have your usual tantrums escalated? Is it getting more violent? They get sick? Needlman believes that this type of test is safe. Seeing how my son reacts, I’m not sure I’m completely on board with this.

Why don’t people believe all this? Probably because they haven’t seen any “scientific evidence” to support these issues. Most of what we read is anecdotes told by parents or people who have experienced this firsthand. The initial reaction of people is to blame the parents for “bad parenting” or for misinterpreting the “normal” happenings of the children. The problem is, they haven’t even seen a child (or adult) react to Red 40. When I describe my son’s reaction to people, they all tend to make fun of me until they actually see it happen to him; then they understand.