Compared to other countries, the U.S. has notoriously relaxed regulations regarding
food additives. Things such as flame retardants and carcinogens are legally
allowed to be added to American food in small amounts, and they'll still be
considered safe for consumption. In other countries, however, this isn't the case.
For example, there's the recombinant bovine growth hormone, otherwise known as rGBH. This
is a man-made hormone given to cows to make them produce more milk. In those countries where the
hormone is deemed unsafe, however, you won't find milk produced by cows treated with rBGH
at their supermarkets. The same goes for the brominated vegetable oil additive found
in sodas and sports drinks. As such, many of America's most popular products are actually
illegal in other countries — or, at least, they come with a warning label.
And one of those products is the humble Pop-Tart.
"Eat 'em in the morning, eat 'em in the evening: Kellogg's Pop-Tarts!"
The good news is that Pop-Tarts don't contain any flame retardants, carcinogens,
or other especially harmful chemicals. The bad news is that they're banned in certain
European countries due to the inclusion of food dyes Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40.
The use of these dyes in food is banned in Finland, France, Austria, Norway, and the
U.K. While you may not think that consuming food dyes is a huge issue, there's actually been a
lot of research backing the negative effects that can come from consuming them too often.
A 2007 study published in the Lancet changed everything for Europe. Through a controlled trial,
scientists evaluated six dyes, including Yellow 5 and Red 40, which are found in many Pop-Tarts.
They concluded that the dyes have adverse effects on the behavior of young children and
infants. As a result, in 2010, the European Parliament mandated
that foods containing any of the six artificial dyes carry a warning label,
and for food created specifically for kids, the use of food dyes is outright banned.
Further to that, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has published a few studies
regarding the safety of the consumption of these dyes and the potential risks they
may pose to people, especially children. One report, published in 2010, found that, quote,
"many of the nine currently approved dyes raise health concerns." The dyes, which were originally
synthesized from coal tar, but are now made instead with petroleum, raise concerns of cancer,
allergic reactions, and hyperactivity and other behavioral issues in children.
According to an article published in Environmental Health Perspective in 2010,
people in the United States consume five times as much food dye than they did in 1955,
and the numbers are likely to continue increasing. The publication pointed out that,
according to the FDA, quote, "ingestion of free benzidine raises the cancer risk to just
under the 'concern' threshold." Benzidine is a known carcinogen that's permitted in
dyes — including Pop-Tarts' Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 – as long as it's in low amounts.
Of course, people have been consuming these food additives and dyes for years,
and most don't experience any noticeable effects - at least not that they are aware of. But what sort
of things might happen if we continue to eat foods with added chemicals? Healthline writes that:
"In multiple studies, Yellow 5 — also known
as tartrazine — has been shown to cause hives and asthma symptoms."
Other findings reported that people who are allergic to aspirin appear
more affected by the food dyes. So if you find that you have symptoms of allergies,
removing artificial food dyes from your diet may be a good idea.
Meanwhile, other countries are finding new ways to color their food, such as Fanta orange
soda in the U.K., which uses pumpkin and carrot extracts. The U.S. version of the drink, however,
still contains Yellow 6 and Red 40. Similarly, McDonald's strawberry sundaes use actual
strawberries to get their signature red color in the U.K., while Red 40 is still used in the U.S.
It seems that there are plenty of solutions for food dyes that are likely safer for consumption,
and other countries are already taking the steps necessary to reduce added chemicals in their food.
Hopefully, the U.S. will follow them.
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