The Truth about Preservatives + Dyes

By Casey Ritter

My friend from England asked me why American bread was so sweet and why it took so long to grow mold. This conversation started my shocking research on preservatives and foods accepted by the FDA in America but wholly banned in other countries.

I discovered that over 1,000 additives used in American food production for coloring, flavoring, and preservatives are substances banned in the E.U.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) take a stance that food products should only be banned when they are proven to be harmful. In contrast, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) only considers food safe for human consumption once proven so by independent scientific evidence.

Synthetic dyes like Yellow No. 5, No. 6, and Red No. 40 give color to food products, but they aren’t necessary, and they are often used to create the impression that the food contains natural fruits or vegetables even when they don’t. Furthermore, they have been associated with hyperactivity and behavioral changes in kids.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, existing research raises concerns about these dyes and their role in child behavior and exacerbating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and eliminating them may be beneficial. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recommends avoiding all three synthetic dyes.

Titanium Dioxide additive is used for coloring and is found in Skittles, Starburst, baked goods, soups, broths, sauces, and sandwich spreads. Titanium dioxide can build up over time and doesn’t get excreted very well. On May 6, 2021, The European Food Safety Authoity (EFSA) issued a statement that it no longer considered titanium dioxide safe when used as a food additive. The additive has been shown to be genotoxic in studies, which is why it is banned in Europe. Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical substance to damage DNA, which is the genetic material in all cells, and it may lead to carcinogenic, or cancerous, effects.

Did you know that in Britain, fresh apples only keep for a few weeks, maybe longer if put in the fridge? While in America, apples can keep for up to 18 months because they are treated with diphenylamine, a toxin that is banned in the E.U.

Potassium bromate, an oxidizing agent, is often used in bread and dough and is banned in Europe because they are linked in animal studies to cause kidney and thyroid cancers. Also prohibited is Brominated vegetable oil, found in citrus sodas and drinks.

It’s not just Europe that bans the toxins frequently used in American foods; many other countries, including Japan, also prohibit them.

Japan, with an average life span of 83.7 years, currently has the highest life expectancy in the world, closely followed by the Mediterranean countries at 82.9 years. The U.K. comes in at 26th and the USA at 43rd place out of 195 countries, but on current trends, the USA is predicted to fall to 64th place by 2040.’

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Selecting foods with fewer ingredients is typically the best way to go.

• Avoid foods with preservatives and dyes.

• Read product labels.

• Use phone apps to help you make sure the foods you’re buying are safe — search “food ingredients scanner” in the App Store. One such app is Sift Food Labels, where you can look up food or scan the bar code label, and it will alert you of any potentially risky additives.

• Pay attention to your body: If you notice that certain foods cause negative effects, such as headaches or stomach discomfort, avoid those foods in the future.

• Consume fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables.

• When possible, make meals from scratch.