| What to do about Synthetic Food Dyes |
| Tuesday, 10 May 2011 21:00 | |||
 May 2011—There’s a plan afoot, after all these years, to do something about the synthetic, petroleum-based food and beverage dyes that have been ubiquitous in our food chain for decades.You wouldn’t think politics would be involved, but those close to the situation think it is, and as a result, for now anyway, the FDA is not planning to do much about the issue. This inaction comes as no surprise to many — those who know of these things say they can never expect the FDA to act quickly on anything, no matter how serious. It is however, somewhat of a surprise that this office is dragging its feet as much as it is, considering that the United Kingdom and other European countries recently mandated that warning labels appear on foods/beverages containing synthetic dyes — with wording so dire that in some people’s minds it represents a de facto ban. Another mild surprise is the pressure being applied to the issue by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) a Washington, DC-based consumer advocacy organization that conducts research and creates advocacy programs in health and nutrition, providing consumers with information directed toward their health and well-being. Although being frequently applied, so far this double-barreled pressure hasn’t caused the FDA to budge. They counter by saying that medical claims against the petroleum-based dyes have not been substantiated, and that more research is needed. So what will happen? If the presence of these synthetic dyes is really the concern many say it is — one that may cause various health problems in children and adults — those who make most of the decisions regarding what to put on the kitchen table, namely the adult female consumer, will force the action, bringing about change. And no matter which side of the issue you find yourself, you’ll have to agree that should this action occur and bring about the modifications many say is needed, it will be another excellent example of democracy in action.
|