How food coloring affects the body

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Exposure to food colorants occurs during a majority of the meals that people consume every day, and these colorants can have certain effects on the human body. Many consumers do not show signs of being affected by food colorants; however, some specific diseases and disorders, such as ADHD, can be aggravated by colorants in addition to general ailments such as nausea, headaches, and irritability (Walford, 1984). Both natural and synthetic colorants can cause reactions, and approximately fifty years ago strict regulations on color additives and their certification were implemented due to different studies on colorants and several cases of severe allergic reactions (Vargas & Lopez, 2003). Not all food colorants are detrimental to bodily health, however. The development of food additives that are nutritionally beneficial is an area of science that is quickly advancing. Although many food colorants can be disparaging on human health, nutritionists are becoming more familiar with the advantageous properties of colorants, and the prospect of consuming healthier diets is encouraging (Downham & Collins, 2000).
When determining whether a food colorant is safe to be used as a food additive, tests must be performed to determine its toxicological effects. Many food colorants have been shown to induce certain diseases and carcinogenic or allergic reactions in animals and humans. By the 1960s, experiments had displayed results that initiated regulations that restricted the use of these colorants (Vargas & Lopez, 2003). However, some natural colorants, which are those pigments retrieved from living organisms, are believed to have fewer adverse effects on consumer health and have fewer restrictions on their usage than synthetic colorants,...

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Rowe, KS; & Rowe, KJ (1994). Synthetic food coloring and behavior: A dose response effect in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated-measures study. The Journal of Pediatrics, 125(5): 691-698. Retrieved March 5, 2014, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(06)80164-2.
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