Health threats brought by the food dyes
Health threats brought by the food dyes. Food dyes are used in industry for decades.
Currently, products that people buy in the supermarket contain at least one food coloring manufacturers worldwide use annually about 7 million pounds of synthetic dyes, according to statistics.Health threats of these substances remain lit topic of debate, as long as there are many specialists who bring out a series of risks, from the appearance of behavioral disorders in children, up to the onset of cancer later in life.
Food colors and the diseases they produce
Many natural dyes used in food industry in the past have been banned by the authorities because of their toxicity which discuss lit in the twentieth century. Since then, companies have begun to gradually replace them with artificial colors. Unfortunately, the latter come with their own set of problems.
A visual campaign conducted by the editors of Special Education Degree entitled Colors to die for, evaluates the most common types of food dyes in relation to diseases that may occur, countries where it is forbidden their use and foods that are found at the often.
Bright blue food coloring
Often used for the manufacture of pastry with fillings of berries, candies , cocktails and flavored yogurts , bright blue food coloring can cause chromosomal abnormalities .
For this reason , blue food dye was banned in France , Finland , England , Norway and most recently in Sweden.
Indigo blue food coloring
Indigo blue food dye may increase the risk of developing brain tumors , being found most often in sweets , soft drinks , alcoholic drinks ( specialties ) and feed . This artificial dye was banned , currently only in Norway.
Red -orange food coloring
Surprisingly, some merchants orange eye trying to fool buyers , injecting these citrus peel with a red -orange dye . It improves the appearance of the fruit, but also prone to bladder tumors . For this reason , the color in question has already been banned in the United States, the food processing industry .
Emerald green food coloring
Banned in many European communities economic , emerald green food coloring increases the risk of bladder cancer and is found most commonly in alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages , sweets , ice cream and cosmetics .
Brick-red food coloring
The most used and consumed artificial food coloring is red – brick , which increases susceptibility to chromosomal abnormalities , hyperactivity and ADHD or develop lymphoma . Because of the dangers it poses to health, has been banned in food processing industry in the United States .
Brick-red food dye is found in baked goods , sweets , beverages and canned .
Red food coloring eritrosina
Another heavily used artificial coloring , red – eritrosina was also associated with numerous adverse health risks and neurochimical behavioral , chromosomal abnormalities and increased susceptibility to the development of thyroid tumors .
Eritrosina red dye commonly found in baked goods , candy , sausage and fruit. Food and Drug Administration tried to ban the use of artificial coloring in the U.S., with no success so far.
Yellow food coloring tartrazine
Although not currently smoking than in Norway, yellow food coloring tartrazine was charged with numerous potential health hazards. The most important are
- Chromosomal abnormalities;
- Lymphomas;
- Asthma;
- Insomnia;
- The behavior of aggressive;
- Hyperactivity;
- Thyroid tumors;
- Allergies;
- Adverse neurochemical and behavioral;
Yellow food coloring tartrazine is found in baked goods, candy, canned food and beverages.
Food coloring sunset-the-sun
Already banned in Norway and Sweden, food coloring sunset-the-sun has its own set of risks which rises after consumption. So, can cause asthma, rashes, eczema, hyperactivity, chromosomal abnormalities, allergies and thyroid tumors.
The food coloring is frequently introduced in pastries, sausages, canned and cosmetics.
Food dyes and children’s health
Southampton University researchers found that children’s health could be endangered by eating processed foods with food dyes that contain sodium benzoate. These substances increase hyperactivity in children aged between 3 and 9 years.
Another study published in the journal Science concludes that children hyperactive (with the highest degree of hyperactivity measured by a particular test), in whose diet included numerous food processing artificial food dyes have less ability to remembering images.
Despite the results obtained by researchers in this regard, the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. has so far managed to bring clear evidence that artificial colorings associated with increased risk of ADHD in children. Tests dedicated to these findings is currently underway.
Natural alternatives to artificial dyes
Dyes made from natural sources are a healthier alternative, from carrots, celery, spinach, pumpkin, berries, red cabbage, turmeric and chilli Sofron. About 30% of the food produced nationwide have natural dyes in composition, being predominantly organic.
Natural dyes do not offer color as concentrates may alter the taste of food and are more sensitive to heat, so colors may vary depending on storage conditions.