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Courtney Patterson
Malcolm Campbell
UWRT 1103
9 November 2015
Allura Red: The FDAs Secret Weapon
Allura Red, more commonly known as Red 40, is one of the most popular artificial dyes
used within the food industry. It is found in snacks, drinks and even medicines. Over the past few
years, its safety has been questioned. Individuals have claimed that this dye causes hyperactivity
in children, cancer and allergic reactions:, however, it was not until just recently that people
began to take these assumptions seriously and began to experiment with this dye. Since this is
such a recent topic, there are not many firm conclusions that have been made, but the results of
testing are still notable and this is an issue that should be brought to the publics knowledge. Due
to the fact that this dye does nothing but add color to food products, if it is only causing harm to
individuals, the Food and Drug Administration should not hesitate to remove it from the products
that we ingest on a daily basis.
It seems to be a growing trend to eliminate different things, such as gluten, sugar, or
dairy, from your diet. People seem to find more and more problems with foods that have been
loved by millions of people for years, so it can be hard to determine which foods are actually
dangerous and which just fall into another trend. Last summer, I decided to start eating as healthy
as I could. My senior year of high school was packed with fast food and processed snacks
because I did not have much time to eat real meals, so I wanted to focus more on eating fruits
and vegetables and drinking water; something that is not always easy to do. I was introduced to a

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drink called Sparkling Ice, which is basically just flavored water with added carbonation. It
claims to contain vitamins and minerals and it is delicious, so I would usually drink a bottle
everyday with my lunch. My favorite flavors were cherry limeade, black raspberry and raspberry
lemonade,; all of which were a red or pink shade. I happened to be watching the news and I saw
a headline about the harmful effects of red dyes. I looked on the ingredient list of my drink and
saw that it was one of the first things listed. I watched the entire news show, then began
examining all of my favorite snacks to realize that almost every one contained some amount of
allura red. I was shocked at first, but I did not really think too much of it. After doing some
research, I learned just how many negative effects there are related to this dye and considering
that there is nothing positive associated with it, other than the fact that it makes food look better,
I feel as if its risks should be communicated to the public more effectively. Kids are always
getting diagnosed with ADD and ADHD, and if something as simple as an artificial dye could be
causing these issues, parents need to know. It may be cost effective and easy to manufacture, but
the health of the consumers should be a priority for food companies.
Hyperactivity in children seems to be one of the most common issues related to the
consumption of allura red. Kids love junk food, especially when it is colorful and fun. There are
certain colors, such as red and blue, that are more appealing to younger children and they will go
for fruit snacks before they eat actual fruits, so should we not make sure that the ingredients put
into these foods is safe? According to an article published on nprNPRs website, the FDA has
been studying these dyes for almost four decades and it finds no conclusive proof that food dyes
cause hyperactivity in most kids, although it suggests that some kids with ADHD may be
particularly sensitive to them. It is no secret that these dyes are known to cause allergic

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reactions, but the fact that they could trigger ADHD is new information. Parents who have
children with conditions like this have enough to worry about, so closely monitoring their diet
and removing foods that almost every child eats would be hard. If these dyes were removed from
foods, both children and parents would have a much easier time. Children may not be so
dependent on their medicines to treat their ADHD because, chances are, it would not be as
severe. Even though these dyes are not the actual cause of hyperactivity, the fact that they have
been known to make this worse is a good enough reason to remove them from foods.
One thing that is important to address when talking about whether or not these dyes can
cause ADHD or make it worse, is the childs overall diet. Artificial dyes are typically found in
processed foods and a child with a diet filled with these things is probably not getting proper
nutrients. Processed foods also contain high levels of sugar and preservatives, such as sodium
benzoate, which are known to contribute to hyperactivity (Barrett). Although it is easy to put the
blame on one specific ingredient, it may be a combination of things that are making children
uneasy and causing them to lose focus.
An article found in Forbes magazine states that if artificial dyes were removed from
foods, candy and cereal companies would take the hardest blows. If Red #40 and Yellow #5
disappear, how will children be able to experience the rainbow (Skittles tagline)? Although I
do understand why companies need their products to look appealing, health should be the main
concern, and it is sad to see how big brands are only focused on the amount of money they can
make. The article proceeds to talk about the trend going on in America that attracts customers to
phrases like no preservatives and no artificial dyes, so despite the fact that these dyes may

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not be completely banned by the FDA, companies may stop using them so they can market
products that use these phrases and appear to be healthier options.
In 2007, at the University of Southampton, a very controversial study took place. A total
of 300 children were tested, some three years old and some eight. A set of six dyes, one of which
was allura red, were tested and they are now known as the Southampton Six. Researchers
discovered that these dyes, along with sodium benzoate, increase hyperactive tendencies in both
groups of children. They even said that the number of children with ADHD could be reduced by
30 percent if additives were banned. Although some researchers do not agree with this study
and feel as if it does not take enough aspects of a childs diet into consideration, it has yielded
some impactful results. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the United Kingdom has
recommended that the six dyes be removed from foods and popular companies such as
McDonalds and Heinz have removed each of these dyes from their products. Europe has also
decided to clearly label the effects of these dyes and give citizens warnings about the effects they
could have on young children (Sonuga-Barke).
One thing that shocked me while I was doing my research on artificial dyes was just how
little the United States regulates what goes into our foods. Other areas, such as Europe, have
much stricter guidelines which are clearly communicated to consumers. According to an article
written by Mrcio Carocho, Maria Filomena Barreiro, Patricia Morales and Isabel C.F.R.
Ferreira, Europe even includes the daily intake of multiple food additives, so consumers can
know their limits. In this country additives are referred to as GRAD, which stands for generally
regarded as safe. When I read the word generally, it concerns me. This means that these
additives, artificial dyes included, are not always safe for consumers. I personally do not want to

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ingest something that is only safe in small amounts or under certain conditions. This article also
addresses the fact that, in some studies, allura red has been classified as genotoxic. Despite the
fact that it does not always test positive for genotoxicity, I still do not think that it is worth the
risk of adding it to our food.
I read a very interesting study conducted by Hafiza Sumara Jabeen, Sajjad ur Rahman,
Shahid Mahmood and Sadaf Anwer who were testing the genotoxicity, or the damaging effect on
a cells DNA, of allura red. They discovered that this dye is genotoxic at a certain temperature.
They also used Saccharomyces cerevisiae for their test, which is a bakers yeast. This shows that
the chemicals in allura red may interact differently depending on the food products they come in
contact with. The authors of the study noted, heavy concentration of food colors should be
avoided in baking products. This makes me interested to learn if there are any combinations that
can be used with this dye that could limit its genotoxic effects. It also makes me curious to know
if drinks, such as Sparkling Ice, that contain this dye are more or less harmful than the baking
products.
Research done by Laura J. Stevens, John R. Burgess, Mateusz A. Stochelski and
Thomas Kuczek focused on the amount of artificial dyes in beverages consumed by children in
the United States. They noted the fact that over the past few years, many people have become
concerned with the negative effects of artificial food colorings. Because of this, many studies
have been done, however, a lot of the studies have failed to include food colorings that are
ingested through beverages. Young children consume large amounts of juice, soda and other
colored drinks. If they have only two cans of a drink, which is a little over 700 milliliters, they
have consumed almost ninety milligrams of artificial dyes. Any amount over fifty has been

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shown to have adverse effects on children and this number does not even consider the amount of
these dyes they could be receiving from the foods that they eat. As previously noted, Red 40 was
found to be the most popular dye in beverages. The authors of this article concluded with a
statement warning parents to avoid giving their children beverages that contain artificial
colorings and they also noted that, for the accuracy of future research on the affect of artificial
dye on childrens behavior, it is important that we take note of their beverage consumption as
well as their food intake.
When studying these dyes, most researchers single out a certain dye, then test it, but these
dyes usually work together to make our foods appear a certain color. Because of this, these dyes
should be tested in combination with one another to find out their true harm. Scientists in Korea
began to study this and their results were quite interesting. Mice were given different
combinations of artificial food colorings over the course of two weeks, then they were
euthanized and researchers observed their brains. It was shown that certain combinations such as
yellow 4 and blue 1, and yellow 4 and red 40, decrease the number of BrdU positive cells, which
are used when cells are replicated and DNA is synthesized. This could have extremely adverse
effects on individuals due to the fact that our DNA is very sensitive and one mistake could easily
cause a disease or disorder. The amount of each individual dye put in food is monitored;
however, the way these dyes work together is not. Having to test each combination of dyes
would be a very time consuming process and seeing that some combinations can produce
harmful effects, we do not have time to figure out which dyes are safe together and which ones
are not. This is just another reason as to why these artificial dyes should be completely removed
from our foods (Parka).

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Another study, which used rats to test whether or not allura red causes damage to DNA,
was conducted by Lilianne Abramsson-Zetterberga and Nils-Gunnar Ilbcka. Instead of
consumeng this dye in a food product, rats were injected with it. This could yield different
results, but it is still important to consider what these researchers discovered. Each mouse was
given a single injection with a different amount of allura red, ranging from zero to 2000
milligrams. After this, blood and urine samples, along with tissue samples from the liver, kidneys
and brain, were collected. Researchers noticed that the brain and kidneys along with the urine
had a slight pink tint to them. Although the study ruled out that this dye is genotoxic, meaning it
showed no harmful effects to DNA, it is still apparent that it has a negative effect on our bodies.
It has been removed from animal feed because it is still considered potentially genotoxic, but it
is still perfectly acceptable to use in human food. To me, this is a little strange. We use animals
for testing because they are very similar to humans, so if this dye can hurt animals, it must be
doing something to us as well. I also would not want to be consuming a chemical that is moving
through my system and staining by organs. The FDA should take studies like this into
consideration before they determine whether or not it is safe as a part of our daily diet.
One thing that shocked me while I was doing my research on artificial dyes was just how
little the United States regulates what goes into our foods. Other areas, such as Europe, have
much stricter guidelines which are clearly communicated to consumers. According to an article
written by Mrcio Carocho, Maria Filomena Barreiro, Patricia Morales and Isabel C.F.R.
Ferreira, they even include the daily intake of multiple food additives, so consumers can know
their limits. In this country additives are referred to as GRAD, which stands for generally
regarded as safe. When I read the word generally, it concerns me. This means that these

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additives, artificial dyes included, are not always safe for consumers. I personally do not want to
ingest something that is only safe in small amounts or under certain conditions. This article also
addresses the fact that, in some studies, allura red has been classified as genotoxic. Despite the
fact that it does not always test positive for genotoxicity, I still do not think that it is worth the
risk of adding it to our food.
Fortunately, there are alternative dyes that can be used in place of allura red and they are
currently being used in Europe and in some areas in the United States. Some of these natural
colors are derived from plants such as purple carrots, beets and blackberries and others are being
manufacturered in labs. Although this is not entirely natural, it is still a much safer alternative
to red 40. Cyanidin-3-glucoside is the name of the color used to replace allura red. Cyanidins are
found in dark berries and they have actually been found to have several health benefits,;
something that artificial dyes lack. It may be able to decrease the levels of glucose in the blood
and also reduce inflammation in the muscles. Some people take it in capsule form, but some
studies have shown that we may have trouble digesting it. This alternative was found with the
help of a process known as protein binding. Artificial colors were tested against their natural
counterparts and it was determined that the artificial dyes have stronger hydrogen bonds to
human serum albumin, the most commonly found protein in human plasma. This affects our
blood and if these dyes have strong bonds to it, they can get into our system and cause many of
the health issues I have previously noted (Frank).
Despite the fact that this is a new issue in our society, so there is not an overwhelming
amount of research surrounding the true dangers of dyes like allura red, there is enough testing to
know that these dyes are not doing anything positive for our health. No matter how you look at

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the situation, the negative implications of this dye outweigh the positives. It may be cost
effective for manufacturers, it may be able to last for a long time, which is why it is suitable for
processed foods, and it may add to the visual appeal of food, but there are alternatives that can be
much healthier. Extracting colors from fruits and vegetables could have additional health benefits
and in todays society, where organic and all natural foods are becoming more and more
appealing to consumers, this could be used as a marketing tactic. The United States needs to
follow closer to the footsteps of Europe and have stricter rules when it comes to the regulation of
what is in our food. Even though the FDA claims to have run numerous tests on this dye before
adding it to our food, it is clear that their tests have not yielded a clear answer. If we are left
wondering whether or not something is safe to ingest, why does an organization who claims to
have individuals health as their main priority, keep adding this product to our food, drinks and
cosmetic products?

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Works Cited
Abramsson-Zetterberg, Lilianne, and Nils-Gunnar Ilback. The synthetic food colouring agent
Allura Red AC (E129) is not genotoxic in a flow cytometry-based micronucleus assay in
vivo. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 59. (2013): 86-89. Web. 14 October 2015.
Barrett, Julia R., and Bernard Weiss. Food Chemicals - Hyperactive Ingredients. Food
Consumer. Food Consumer. 5 June 2008. Web. 30 November 2015.
Carocho, Marcio, Maria Filomena Barreiro, Patricia Morales, and Isabel C.F.R.
Ferreira. Adding Molecules to Food, Pros and Cons: A Review on Synthetic and Natural
Food Additives. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 13. (2014).
377-399. Web. 8 November 2015.
Frank, Kurtis. Cyanidin - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects. Examine. (n.d.).
Web. 7 November 2015.
Fulton, April. FDA Probes Link Between Food Dyes, Kids Behavior.. npr.org. 30 March 2011.
Web. 18 October 2015.
Hennessey, Rachel. Living in Color: The Potential Dangers of Artificial Dyes. Forbes.
27 August 2012. Web. 7 November 2015.
Jabeen, Hafiza Sumara, Sajjad ur Rahman, Shahid Mahmood, and Sadaf Anwer. Genotoxicity
Assessment of Amaranth and Allura Red Using Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. Bull Environ
Contam Toxicol. 90. (2013): 2226. Web. 7 November 2015.
Masone, Diego, and Celine Chanforan. Study on the interaction of artificial and natural food
colorants with human serum albumin: A computational point of view.. Computational
Biology and Chemistry. 56. (2015): 152-158. Web. 14 October 2015.

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Parka, Mikyung, Hee Ra Parka, So Jung Kima, Min-Sun Kima, Kyoung Hye Konga, Hyun Soo
Kima, Ein Ji Gonga, Mi Eun Kima, Hyung Sik Kima, Byung Mu Leeb, and Jaewon Leea.
Risk Assessment for the Combinational Effects of Food Color Additives: Neural
Progenitor Cells and Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Journal of Toxicology and
Environmental Health. 72. (2009). 1412-1423. Web. 30 November 2015.
Sonuga-Barke, Edmund, and Jim Stevenson. Food additives and behavior in children..
University of Southampton. University of Southampton Psychology Department. (n.d.).
Web. 30 November 2015.
Stevens, Laura J., John R. Burgess, Mateusz A. Stochelski, and Thomas Kuczek. Amounts of
Artificial Food Colors in Commonly Consumed Beverages and Potential Behavioral
Implications for Consumption in Children. Clinical Pediatrics. 53. (2014). 133-140.
Web. 30 November 2015.