Food Safety Study Prompts Government Hearing on Dangers Posed to Children, Legislation requiring Box Warnings

Scientists, parents, food industry and children advocates to testify tomorrow on documented negative impact of food colorings on children’s health, legislation requiring the warning labels on food to be unveiled

ALBANY, NY (10/29/2007)(readMedia)-- WHO: Peter M. Rivera, chair of the NYS Assembly Mental Health Committee, parents, children’s health advocates, government scientists and food industry experts.

WHAT: A study released in September 2007 and published in the Lancet, the British Medical Journal, conclusively determined that some artificial food colorings and the preservative sodium benzoate increase hyperactivity and reduce attention span in a wide range of children. The research which was sponsored by the British Food Standards Agency raises a number of policy questions regarding the responsibility of government to regulate the use of food additives.

There has for decades been suspicion within the scientific community that food additives can cause behavioral disorders, particularly hyperactivity attention span deficiencies, in children. Both conditions often results in the widely used practice of medicating children as well as poor school performance, failing grades, increased dropout and expulsion rates, drug and alcohol abuse and involvement in the criminal justice system.

Legislation to require the use of “black box warnings” on all foods produced with artificial colors and preservatives and sold in New York will be unveiled.

Scientists on both sides of this ongoing debate will present on their findings and will be joined by concerned parents and children’s health advocates.

WHERE: 250 Broadway, Room 1923, 19th floor, New York, New York

WHEN: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 11:00 AM

WHY: The last time the FDA examined the impact of food colorings on children was in 1982. A quarter of century later, mounting evidence is clearly linking the health dangers of using coal tar and petroleum based artificial food colorings. Experts and parents have been for government action.

It now appears that foods containing artificial colors and sodium benzoate must carry a “black box warning” to advice parents on the potential health problems faced by children if those foods are consumed. With over 7 million American children on hyperactivity medication, it is also clear that the elimination of artificial food colorings could lead to less reliance of the practice of medicating children to control their behavior.

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