Group urges ban on eight artificial dyes

A consumer advocacy group has called on the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of eight artificial colorings in food because the additives may cause hyperactivity and behavior problems in some children.

Controlled studies conducted over three decades have shown that children’s behavior can be worsened by some artificial dyes, the Center for Science in the Public Interest said. The group said the British government was successfully pressuring food manufacturers to switch to safer colorings.

Over the years, the FDA has disputed the center’s assertion. Spokeswoman Julie Zawisza said that color additives undergo safety reviews before approval for marketing and that samples of each artificial coloring are tested.

The colorings that the center seeks to ban are: Yellow No. 5, Red No. 40, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Orange B, Red No. 3 and Yellow No. 6.