Red Dye # 40

Maybe this will be helpful?

Effects of Red Food Dye on Children
A letter to Beth Bruno

Dear Beth:

"I am one of those people who rolls her eyes every time an article appears about this or that food ingredient being dangerous. If we eliminated everything mentioned, there'd be nothing to eat. That said, here's our story.

"We had a normal, loving 3-year-old boy. I was a stay-at-home mom; dad and I were happy; we had no financial problems. No out-of-the-ordinary changes had occurred in our daily life. Our son, all of a sudden, started having terrible tantrums. When I talked to the pediatrician, he said, 'Boys will be boys.' Except our son wasn't like that. He was always very mellow, very loving. As he grew older, teachers reported behavior problems and suggested that we get him tested for ADHD. But when we took him to the doctor, he was always given a clean bill of health.

"After he was asked to leave a daycare program due to behavior problems, we had him tested and enrolled him in a special Pre-K program for EH (emotionally handicapped) and DDS (developmentally delayed) children. Testing showed that he was of superior intelligence but had below average fine motor skills. He did well. We, as parents, took classes to deal with his behavior.

"Then I discovered a letter in the local paper by a mother who had written about her daughter's 'aggressive hyperactivity' when she consumed red dye 40. My son had had one of his tantrums just that evening and this article clicked. I got up and went to examine the food ingredients of what he had consumed that night. BINGO! It contained red dye 40.

"Let me describe these tantrums; they were not ordinary. It was as if our son were seized by the moment and could not physically or emotionally let go of it. And it was extreme. His behavior was so opposite of what was normal for him, it was like watching a child possessed. Whenever I talked with doctors, no one understood that these were not normal tantrums. I was just considered an overanxious mom, but anyone who witnessed a tantrum (and knew me well enough) always reacted with, 'This is not normal!'

"We eliminated red dye 40. Other food colorings did not produce the same reaction. When he began to show signs of a reaction we could always trace it to something with red dye 40 in it. After that, he was fine both at home and at school. He had a wonderful first grade teacher who found no problems with him and had him tested for gifted classes, which he has taken ever since. At a very early age, (after learning about this) he knew which treats he couldn't have because, 'That makes me crazy.'

"Our advice to parents is: 'Know your child.' If he or she is behaving in an abnormal way, keep fighting for him/her until you get someone to listen. My doctors would not listen. The educational program would not listen. But I knew my child. We eliminated food allergies ourselves when the doctors shrugged them off.

"Today I still insist on non-colored medicines. Ironically, the doctors just accept my statement as fact with nothing to back it up in his medical files other than each year's written request for no red dye 40. You can get medicines now without coloring, if you request them. So until the day this dye is removed from drinks, foods and medicines, we'll just monitor it ourselves."

Note from Beth Bruno: I have received dozens of letters from parents about children who are sensitive to red dye 40 and show it through both physical and behavioral symptoms. In each case, the parents have reported improvement after eliminating the source of the dye. It's one of many possibilities to consider when trying to figure out what is causing a developmental or behavioral problem with your child.

what drinks did you buy her just curious? i knowyour not supposed to drink that when your pregnant but haven'theard that it cuases behavior problems but curious to see what other moms have to say.

I am trying to take artificial food coloring out of my kids' diet. It is not always easy and I sometimes fall when it comes to flavorice freeze pops (I have not seen any as cheap and healthy yet...) But I heard red#40 causes developmental delays and hyperactivity so I do not give my kids the pops/juices that are made with it. With flavorice, I usually give my boys the blue, green and orange ones...but if you hear anything about the other food colorings that I let them have occasionally, let me know! :)
Hope that helps....

Where is it found? Fruit drinks?

Hi C.! I recently have been reading the Safe Shoppers Bible, which I highly recommend. On page 323, there's a list of color additives that are currently in our food and beverage supply that should be avoided. Here's what is says,
"Colors: Cereals should be avoided if they contain the following colors that have been shown to be carcinogenic or to contain carcinogenic impurities:
FD&C Blue 1
FD&C Green 3
FD&C Red 4
FD&C Red 40
FD&C Yellow 5
FD&C Yellow 6"

I hope that you have found this somewhat helpful, and I also recommend purchasing this book. There is undoubtedly important information that every parent should know in the Safe Shoppers Bible. Good luck!

I don't have insight to add, but I want to thank C. for posing the question and all the fabulous moms that were able to add their knowledge about this food coloring. I am going to keep my eye out for this and try to avoid it as much as possible. It really makes me angry that manufacturers apparently know that this has no value, and probably is detrimental, yet they continue to use it. Maybe if enough people stop purchasing these pretty red foods and drinks, they'll get the hint. I've also heard about yellow dye, like in mac N cheese, being no good.

Yes, there is a direct connection between behavior problems and red dye #40. Try removing it fom her diet and see what happens!
S.