FDA to Review Link Between Food Colors, ADHD in Kids

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Food Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting March 30-31, 2011, to determine if there is sufficient evidence to establish an association between the consumption of synthetic color additives in food and hyperactivity in children. The committee will decide whether to recommend warning labels on foods with the coloring.

Last year, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) sent a letter to FDA urging the agency to ban synthetic food coloring because scientific studies do not provide convincing evidence of safety, but do provide significant evidence of harm.

According to a background document released prior to the Food Advisory Committee meeting, FDAs review of published literature concluded that a causal relationship between exposure to color additives and hyperactivity in children in the general population has not been established. However, for certain susceptible children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and other problem behaviors data suggests their condition may be exacerbated by exposure to a number of substances in food, including, but not limited to, synthetic color additives. Findings from relevant clinical trials indicate that the effects on their behavior appear to be due to a unique intolerance to these substances and not to any inherent neurotoxic properties.