The scary reality of food dyes and additives

It’s Halloween, which means costumes, scary movies, and maybe some food dye.

That last one doesn’t sound that terrifying, but in reality it poses some danger. In 1950, children across the country fell ill because of orange food dye used in Halloween candy. It led to an investigation by the FDA that changed the food industry’s procedures moving forward. 

America is again rethinking food dyes and additives. California recently banned a number of food dyes linked to injury and illness. Consumer advocate groups and public health experts warn that current regulations contain a loophole that allows allegedly unsafe chemicals to be included in our food supply.

Last month, the FDA announced it was working on new plans to assess what chemicals are in our foods. How is it going to do that? And what do we really know about the health effects of food dyes and additives?