The Effects of Artificial Food Dyes on Children

In October 2024, the California School Food Safety Act became law. This law will ban “the state’s public schools from serving or selling foods containing six synthetic food dyes starting in 2028” (Hartley). These six dyes include Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. These dyes come in most cereals, candies, and drinks. Recently, protests have been staged around the US against dyes and other harmful additives in foods; one worth mentioning is the Kelloggs protest last year. It erupted out of the concern from many mothers regarding the toxic substances their children were ingesting every day.

Almost ten years ago, Kelloggs promised to remove artificial food dyes and BHT from its products by 2018. However, many of its products still contain Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1. According to Scientific American, “BHT is approved for use in both the U.S. and Europe, but Hari points out that cereals marketed in Europe by General Mills and Kellogg’s do not contain the additive” nor do they contain artificial food dyes. In fact, Kelloggs uses carrot, watermelon, and blueberry juice to color their Fruit Loops in every other country (McCarthy). So why is Kelloggs still using these artificial dyes in the U.S.? Well, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Azorubine, Red 40, and Blue No. 1 are all banned in Europe (Lynch). So Fruit Loops and the like would not have been allowed to be sold in Europe if they still contained artificial dyes. However, artificial dyes are cheaper than natural ingredients, which explains why they are still being used in the U.S. But soon this will change as “the Department of Health and Human Services plans on phasing out petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of 2026” (Monaghan). Artificial food dyes have become a growing concern around the world—but why?

Before the 1970s and 80s, the FDA did not require developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) studies in order to certify food dyes. “DNT studies typically focus on detecting long-term or permanent effects on the brain and brain function that occur after developmental exposure”; these effects are still not commonly studied, so scientists do not yet know their full effect (Potential Neurobehavioral Effects). This is partly due to the Delaney Clause. In effect since 1960 as part of the Color Additives Amendment to the FD&C Act, the clause prohibits the FDA from authorizing a food or color additive if it induces cancer in animals or humans (FDA to Revoke Authorization for the Use of Red No. 3 in Food and Ingested Drugs | FDA). Most of the information on these dyes was attained 30-50 years ago when dyes were first being introduced widely. In addition, the Delaney Clause only pertains directly to physical effects, which provides an explanation as to why there has been such limited testing of the effects of artificial dyes on the brain and nervous system until recently. “The FDA Redbook (FDA 2007) requires metabolism and pharmacokinetic data for food additive certification and recommends an extensive series of ADME studies, including pharmacokinetic modeling.” (Potential Neurobehavioral Effects). But these guidelines were established in 1993, after the dyes were already certified, and the testing was never implemented retroactively. Meaning that the dyes in foods children intake every day have not even passed the latest certification standards. Some may speculate that the FDA chose not to study the already certified dyes because it would take time and money from something that was already being used everywhere. Dyes that make food bright and colorful have become the norm in America. They drive up product sales and are very cheap to produce. But at what expense?

Synthetic dyes are often made from a chemical extracted from petroleum known as naphthalene (Hofseth). Naphthalene is found in gasoline and diesel, among other things. It is primarily used as an insecticide in mothballs. When analyzing the effects of pesticides in which naphthalene is used, PubMed Central found “consistent associations between chronic pesticide exposure and non-communicable diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, and endocrine disruptions,” all of which are the effects of the artificial dyes many consume every day (Review of Pesticides). And while some may argue that the small amounts of this toxic chemical are not harmful, constant exposure to it can have detrimental effects, especially on children. Both pesticides and insecticides can be linked to artificial food dyes because they are made up of naphthalene. And to go even more specific on this chemical alone, “acute (short term) exposure of humans to naphthalene by inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact is associated with hemolytic anemia, damage to the liver, and neurological damage” (EPA and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry). Even the short-term exposure effects are detrimental, but for children who are eating dyes every single day in their cereal and Pop-Tarts for breakfast, Doritos and fruit roll-ups for lunch, and smoked salmon for dinner. When these dyes were tested, “altered brain chemistry, changes in activity, altered learning and memory, and microscopic alterations in brain structure” were all common effects (Potential Neurobehavioral Effects).

Before detailing the specific neurological effects, a brief overview of some of the effects of dyes seen by Dr. Bevans TEDx Talk, Sobotka et al.'s 1977 study, El-Borm’s et al.'s 2020 study, and more all note that lower body weights were seen during early development when exposed to dyes. Two specific reports detailed oxidative damage and increased antioxidant defense in response to dyes (Potential Neurobehavioral Effects). The physical effects of dyes are less than the effects on the neurological effects. As mentioned before, these dyes are chemicals that directly affect the brain, and any physical effects seen are due to the chemical changes.

As some of the most common dyes, Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6 were studied by Axon in 2012, and these yellow dyes were found to be ‘xenoestrogens’. Xenoestrogens mimic the natural hormone and affect the estrogen metabolism. The negative effects of xenoestrogens include cancer, infertility, precocious puberty, and more (Seward). However, it is worth noting that other studies have discovered that the mouse estrogen receptor is not activated by Yellow No. 5 or sulfanilic acid (Potential Neurobehavioral Effects). The effects of these yellow dyes on the estrogen receptor may have been missed at first because the majority of dye testing was done on rats. In a study done by Rafati et al. in 2017, mice that were given Yellow No. 5 took a longer time to meet the learning criterion the experiment held and had an increased error rate than those that did not receive the treatment. Rats given the treatment had both shorter dendrites and lower spine density.

The authors of Neurobehavioral Effects of Synthetic Food Dyes concluded that around 8% of kids who have ADHD may have symptoms due to artificial dyes. Psychology Today agrees with this conclusion, as they believe that food dyes increase ADHD symptoms. In fact, many ADHD medications contain artificial food dyes. In a TEDx Talk by Dr. Rebecca Bevans, she explains her son’s experiences with food dyes. She recounts that after putting her son on a dye-free diet, he experienced severe withdrawal symptoms. Bevans also goes into the side effects of each dye on her son. With Red 40 causing hyperactivity, migraines, and “brain buzzing”. She compares this dye to ADHD, and its effects last 1-2 days. As for Green 3, it causes hyperactivity, mania, and a feeling of euphoria and says it’s similar to bipolar disorder and lasts 12 hours. Blue 1 causes moody behavior, irritability, and fatigue and lasts 24 hours. Lastly, Yellow 5 and 6 lead to anxiety, aggressive behavior, violent outbursts, and suicidal thoughts. She relates it to Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder and lasts 5 days (TEDx Talks). These dyes not only worsen the effects of disorders but may even cause them. The effect of the dye dissipating a few hours after peaking can not only be seen in children like Dr. Bevans, but also in rats, even after just a single exposure (Dalal and Poddar 2009).

A second study done in 2010 was performed for either 15 or 30 days to mimic the low-dose exposure children get every day. It showed serotonin levels and motor activity had increased after the final Red No. 3 dose and peaked at 2 hours after it was given (Dalal and Poddar 2010). Not only can Red No. 3 increase serotonin, but Red No. 40 can as well (Is Red Dye 40 Bad for You?). These findings are supported by the studies of Lafferman and Silbergeld (1979) and Gao et al. (2011), as they demonstrated an increased release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin can be caused by certain red and yellow dyes (Potential Neurobehavioral Effects of Synthetic Food Dyes). These dyes have the same side effects as SSRIs. The main problem with this is that withdrawal symptoms may be present after stopping dye intake (Mayo Clinic). The Vorhees et al. 1983a study tested Red No. 3 on rats at rates that were known to be toxic. An increased mortality rate was seen among the pre-weaning rats. And as for the post-weaning rats, increased activity was seen in a running wheel test (Vorhees et al. 1983a). These effects of Red No. 3 are similar to the Red No. 40 effects from the TEDx Talk above.

When trying to recreate the intake of dyes for a child per day, scientists used the exact amount of Blue 1 in a popular candy and concluded that just 2 pieces eaten by a 22lb child would “produce plasma concentrations equivalent to the in vitro concentrations that produce 43% neurite inhibition” (Potential Neurobehavioral Effects) Neurite inhibition can lead to developmental neurotoxicity when exposed to children (Lee et al.). This may lead to certain neuroprocesses never getting fully developed as well as other detrimental things.

Of the broad dye studies done, “sixteen (64%) out of 25 challenge studies identified some evidence of a positive association, and in 13 (52%) the association was statistically significant” (Miller). The push for the removal of synthetic dyes from thousands of products has become louder than ever due to recent studies highlighting the toxic effects. Based on the results of the studies above, these artificial dyes in food can be compared to putting children on neurological medication like SSRIs and ERTs, and it may worsen/mimic the effects of the disorders mentioned above.

CITATIONS

Bomgardner, Melody M. “General Mills to Remove Antioxidant BHT From Its Cereals.” Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2024, www.scientificamerican.com/article/general-mills-to-remove-antioxidant-bht-from-its-cereals.

Conversation, Lorne J. Hofseth/The. “We Don’T Know if Artificial Food Dyes Cause Health Risks.” Popular Science, 14 Dec. 2021, www.popsci.com/health/food-dye-health-risks.

Dalal, Arindam, and Mrinal K. Poddar. “Short-term Erythrosine B-induced Inhibition of the Brain Regional Serotonergic Activity Suppresses Motor Activity (Exploratory Behavior) of Young Adult Mammals.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, vol. 92, no. 4, Mar. 2009, pp. 574–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2009.02.010.

Dalal, Arindam, and Mrinal K. Poddar. “Involvement of High Plasma Corticosterone Status and Activation of Brain Regional Serotonin Metabolism in Long-term Erythrosine-induced Rearing Motor Hyper Activity in Young Adult Male Rats.” Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods, vol. 20, no. 6, May 2010, pp. 287–97. https://doi.org/10.3109/15376516.2010.483070.

El-Borm, Hend T., et al. “Ginger Extract Attenuates Labetalol Induced Apoptosis, DNA Damage, Histological and Ultrastructural Changes in the Heart of Rat Fetuses.” Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, vol. 28, no. 1, Oct. 2020, pp. 440–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.10.027.

EPA and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Naphthalene. 2000, www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-09/documents/naphthalene.pdf.

Hartley, Sophie. “Are Synthetic Food Dyes Bad for You? Here’s What the Science Says.” Science News, 28 Oct. 2024, www.sciencenews.org/article/synthetic-food-dye-science-ban.

Lau, Karen, et al. “Synergistic Interactions Between Commonly Used Food Additives in a Developmental Neurotoxicity Test.” Toxicological Sciences, vol. 90, no. 1, Dec. 2005, pp. 178–87. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfj073.

Lee, Jungeun, et al. “Inhibition of Neurite Outgrowth and Enhanced Effects Compared to Baseline Toxicity in SH-SY5Y Cells.” Archives of Toxicology, vol. 96, no. 4, Feb. 2022, pp. 1039–53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-022-03237-x.

Lynch, Marvin. “Why Are Food Dyes Banned in Europe? An In-Depth Exploration - FoodDrinkTalk.” FoodDrinkTalk, 25 Apr. 2025, fooddrinktalk.com/why-are-food-dyes-banned-in-europe.

McCarthy, Kelly. “Kellogg’s Faces Protests Over Food Dyes in Popular Breakfast Cereals.” ABC News, 16 Oct. 2024, abcnews.go.com/GMA/Food/protestors-push-kelloggs-remove-artificial-food-dyes-breakfast/story?id=114848715.

Miller, Mark D., et al. “Potential Impacts of Synthetic Food Dyes on Activity and Attention in Children: A Review of the Human and Animal Evidence.” Environmental Health, vol. 21, no. 1, Apr. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-022-00849-9.

Monaghan, Brydie. “Your Fruit Loops Might Taste Different Soon, RFK Jr. Announces.” Indy100, 23 Apr. 2025, www.indy100.com/video/rfk-jr-bans-synthetic-dyes-fruit-loops.

Nigg, Joel, PhD. “Synthetic Additives and Processed Food Warrant Caution, but Not Alarm.” Psychology Today, 11 Feb. 2020, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/helping-kids-through-adhd/202002/food-dyes-and-adhd?msockid=0df713fee6d36bd3160106f0e7b96a7f.

Rafati, Ali, et al. “Using Vitamin E to Prevent the Impairment in Behavioral Test, Cell Loss and Dendrite Changes in Medial Prefrontal Cortex Induced by Tartrazine in Rats.” Acta Histochemica, vol. 119, no. 2, Jan. 2017, pp. 172–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acthis.2017.01.004.

Seward, Marc. “Xenoestrogens and Their Harmful Effects - Healthy Focus.” Healthy Focus, 27 July 2017, healthyfocus.org/what-are-xenoestrogens.

Sobotka, Thomas J., et al. “Tartrazine and the Developing Nervous System of Rats.” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, vol. 2, no. 5, May 1977, pp. 1211–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15287397709529519.

Program, Human Foods. “FDA to Revoke Authorization for the Use of Red No. 3 in Food and Ingested Drugs.” U.S. Food And Drug Administration, 15 Jan. 2025, www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-revoke-authorization-use-red-no-3-food-and-ingested-drugs.

Vorhees, Charles V., et al. “A Developmental Toxicity and Psychotoxicity Evaluation of FD and C Red Dye #3 (Erythrosine) in Rats.” Archives of Toxicology, vol. 53, no. 4, Aug. 1983, pp. 253–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00294991.

“Health Effects Assessment: Potential Neurobehavioral Effects of Synthetic Food Dyes in Children.” Children’s Environmental Health Center, 2021, oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/risk-assessment/report/healthefftsassess041621.pdf.

“The Effects of Artificial Food Dyes | Dr. Rebecca Bevans | TEDxCarsonCity.” YouTube, 26 May 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQzOHAwCfXs.

“Is Red Dye 40 Bad for You? Here’s What the Science Says.” Drugs.com, www.drugs.com/medical-answers/red-dye-40-bad-you-3579805.

“The Type of Antidepressant Prescribed Most Often.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825.

“A Systematic Review of Pesticide Exposure, Associated Risks, and Long-Term Human Health Impacts.” Toxicology Reports, vol. 13, Nov. 2024, p. 101840. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2024.101840.