Eco-test food colors in sweets

Eco-Test: Food Colors in Sweets: Dangerous Dyes in Food

07/27/2013

Food colors in sweets are suspected in children to cause attention deficit ADHD. The consumer magazine Öko-Test found in a recent review in almost a quarter of the tested products dyes that need to be warned.

May affect children's attention
Kids love it colorful. The manufacturers of sweets and drinks know this too and therefore often add plenty of color to their products. Some of these supplements are suspected to cause ADHD in children. The substances are not prohibited, but since 2010 the EU has written the warning: „May affect children's activity and attention“ on the packaging. Affected are five so-called azo colors: tartrazine (E 102), sunset yellow S (E 110), azorubin (E 122), cochineal red (E 124) and allura red (E 129) - as well as the artificial pigment quinoline yellow (E 104)..

In almost every fourth product questionable dyes
For the current issue, the testers of Öko-Test had made 104 colorful products and looked at which dyes have their ingredient list. Most importantly, the test was candy specifically designed for children. In 24 products, almost a quarter, there were dyes to warn of. Two test products (Imperial Blackberry Gelatin Dessert, Sera Rosehip Tea Beverage) lacked the required warning and others found it so hidden or small that it is difficult to read.

Further possible health hazard
Since the 1970s, artificial dyes have been discussed as possible triggers of ADHD. Scientists have not yet been able to provide clear evidence of the presumption, but it was concluded that the omission of the dyes, at least in particularly sensitive children, could reduce ADHD symptoms. The „German pharmacist newspaper“ Warns against other aspects of the potential health hazards of the additives: „Many azo dyes are broken down in the body by enzymes into their parent compounds, which are considered to be highly carcinogenic and are also suspected to trigger allergies and pseudoallergies. "

Ban demanded
According to the German consumer association Bundesverband vzbv, there is still a need for further action in order to be able to better contain the danger posed by the dyes. Its website reads: „The warning is from the point of view of the consumer center only a half-hearted solution. The usually inconspicuous warning in the fine print is already insufficient because many children buy their sweets themselves. Azo dyes and quinoline yellow should therefore be banned ".

Dyes are whitewashing
A ban would not change the taste or quality of a product. However, natural dyes would not quite reach the color intensity, especially with blue, this probably does not work. The testers found therefore in almost all products controversial Blaufärber. In addition, the magazine pointed out that in the evaluation of dyes constantly change what, thus making their admixture particularly risky. Good foods would not even need such substances, dyes are pure whitewashing. (Ad)

Picture: M. Grossmann