Editor’s note: Dr. Eugene Arnold was interviewed for this story on April 15, and he died on April 27.
Blue, yellow, red. These colors illuminate the aisles of the grocery store, fill school cafeterias and stock the snack selection at movie theaters. These colors in foods lure in children and high school students alike, picking out rainbow cereals and candies that appear most appealing to them.
One thing these food dyes do not make bright, however, is the future.
Popular petroleum-based food dyes such as Red No. 40, Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 5 and more have been linked to health risks, such as behavioral issues and cancer.
Health concerns have motivated the federal government to take action. On April 22, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moved to ban eight petroleum-based food dyes from the nation’s food system. The plan mandates that these dyes be phased out by 2026.
Eugene Arnold, a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist who researched the effects of food dye on child behavior, explained in one article that food dyes have been linked to hyperactivity and irritability and can even worsen behavioral disorders such as ADHD. Dr. Arnold added in the same article that food dyes target three genes. One of these produces dopamine, while the other two produce histamine. A combination of these chemicals can cause hyperactivity, and excessive histamine can trigger allergy symptoms.
Research on food dyes and their health effects is limited, sparking controversy among major food producers who disagree with the proposed governmental bans.
“The health risks we are not sure about, because there might be cumulative risks that we haven’t discovered yet,” Dr. Arnold said in an April 15 interview. “It took 50 years for people to realize the red dye caused cancer. For many years before that, it was considered safe.”
Food dyes have also been found to cause nutrient deficiencies. Tartrazine, a yellow food dye, can deplete zinc in the body, potentially affecting cognitive function.
“Zinc is an essential mineral for brain function,” Dr. Arnold said. “This involves 100 different metabolic enzymes, many of them in the brain.”
While these effects sound drastic, Dr. Arnold notes that occasionally consuming a snack containing food dyes is not a cause for serious health concerns.
“The dose alone makes the poison,” Dr. Arnold said, “So an occasional eating of a few M&Ms once in a while is probably not going to do a lot of damage.”
Junior Kat Bean is aware of the effects of food dyes.
“They are unnatural and they are bad for you,” Kat said. “I try very hard to avoid them.
She finds healthier alternatives abroad, such as the TikTok-popularized Swedish Candy.
“The other countries have gotten rid of these awful chemicals and food dyes,” Kat said. “Like in Sweden. I buy from a candy shop, and they don’t sell any Red 40.”
Dr. Arnold advised high school students to avoid potential health risks by checking the labels of food packages for ingredients containing food dyes.
“Look out for a dye with a number or its generic name,” Dr. Arnold said. “If the label is so long you don’t want to read it, don’t buy it.”
The next time you roam the halls of the grocery store, don’t be surprised if you notice that the Froot Loops and Gatorades have lost their vibrance in the name of health.
