The undersigned physicians, scientists and health-based organizations urge your support for funding for the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to scientifically evaluate the potential impacts of synthetic food dyes on children.
Synthetic dyes are widely used, especially in foods and drinks marketed to children, and essentially all children consume the most commonly used synthetic dyes. Dyes are unnecessary, but they are frequently used to make soda, sports drinks, candy, and other unhealthy foods attractive to kids.
Moreover, the safety of dyes for children is a concern. Following two large studies funded by the UK government showing that dyes can affect children in the general population, warning labels that state that the dyes “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children” are required on most dyed foods in Europe, including foods that contain the three most commonly used dyes in the United States.
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