Today’s Washington Post shared a story about the Center for Science in the Public Interest calling on the FDA to ban artificial food coloring because of a link to behavior problems and hyperactivity in children.

Anyone who has seen children after consuming cookies piled high with brightly colored frosting knows what kind of wrath they can cause.

But in all seriousness, the group did cite studies that have been done over decades that reveal this link. They are asking that the FDA label foods that contain these additives while they consider the ban.

The FDA strongly disagrees with the Center’s argument that these additives are bad for children, even after reviewing the studies. They also cited the fact that the European Union (which is light years ahead of the U.S. in the area of environmental health), has declared artificial food colorings safe.

The article points out that food coloring is often added to make junk food more appealing to children, which is ethically questionable to begin with (lots of colors! Make them eat more!). Add to that the chemicals might put a child more at risk for behavioral problems and hyperactivity, and this gives us parents something to think about.

photo by Stock Exchange