Food Dyes: Separating the Science from the Scare Stories

Food dye headlines are alarming. The science is more complicated. We look at what the evidence actually shows on hyperactivity, cancer concerns, and how to think about this proportionately. Sources: McCann D, et al. (2007). Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet, 370(9598), 1560–1567. Nigg JT, et al. (2012). Meta-analysis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, restriction diet, and synthetic food color additives. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(1), 86–97. Kobylewski S & Jacobson MF. (2012). Toxicology of food dyes. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, 18(3), 220–246. Arnold LE, et al. (2012). Artificial food colors and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms: conclusions to dye for. Neurotherapeutics, 9(3), 599–609. US FDA. (2025). Revocation of Red 3 food additive authorization. fda.gov EFSA Panel on Food Additives. (2010). Scientific opinion on the re-evaluation of Allura Red AC (E 129) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 8(7), 1551. Potera C. (2010). Diet and nutrition: the artificial food dye blues. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(10), A428. Vartanian LR, et al. (2007). Effects of soft drink consumption on nutrition and health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 97(4), 667–675. Monteiro CA, et al. (2019). Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutrition, 22(5), 936–941.