Mars, Inc.,the conglomerate manufacturer of M&Ms, Skittles, Starbursts, and Life Savers, announced late last week it will no longer use artificial colorings in any of their over 100 products.* This includes chocolates, drinks, gum, and foods. The use of synthetic dyes that brightens the shellacked candy coatings or alters the coloring of Uncle Ben's rice will be phased out over the next five years and replaced with plant-based colorings. This has been the norm in the UK for years and was mandated by their government when the scientific evidence became crystal clear that their presence in the diet was harmful; in the US, it took a grass roots approach that was initiated by a mom with a petition in hand, and signed by over 200,000 regular folks like us. That, along with the help of the Centers for Science in the Public Interest, propelled the movement to the attention of Mars, Inc. and they finally acted. It was a win-win: the overall health of our nation - particularly those of our children - will improve, and Mars hits a PR home run.
What's the big deal? Well, the FDA has long blamed the reported behavioral issues of children associated with the ingestion of certain dyes as being the result of 'sensitive kids' and not the colorings. Turns out they were wrong. Kids with hyperactivity, like ADHD, have consistently demonstrated increased negative behaviors after consuming artificial dyes, and the mounting evidence over the past decades was recognized and acted upon in Europe. In the US? A different story of politics and choice played out.
Science needs to drive policy change in the US, and it's nice to see it finally happen despite it having taken 25 years. We have an opportunity to vote for what is important to us everytime an item is scanned at the check out. Vote for our food supply each week to becoming less adulterated and more wholesome by making great choices.
*pet foods excluded