FDA finally bans a single food dye, known to cause cancer, but lets it remain in food until 2027.

Consider 5 facts providing vital context. Don't miss #5, an "urgent" call in The New England Journal of Medicine from 20 researchers (from EPA, UN and elsewhere) for better protection of children.

Jan 16, 2025

Getting Perspective

A ruling by the FDA on January 15, 2025 is getting a lot of coverage. Please consider the following five facts — critical for putting the ruling in proper perspective, and for inspiring citizens to take their power back from verifiably corrupt agencies.

In 2022, a consumer group petitioned the FDA to remove red dye 3 from approved use, noting that the FDA “has already found this color additive causes cancer in laboratory animals and subsequent studies and reviews have reinforced that conclusion.”
The previous year, in 2021 (after 30 years of delays), the FDA had banned the cancer-causing red dye in cosmetics, but didn’t take action on its use in food and medicine.
On January 15, 2025, the FDA finally responded to the 2022 petition, making the ruling on red dye 3 that consumers demanded. But the FDA isn’t making it effective until 2027 (in foods) and 2028 (in drugs).
As of May 2024, the EPA says more than 40,000 poisons are in active use.
“Children are suffering and dying from diseases that emerging scientific research links to chemical exposures, findings that require urgent revamping of laws around the world, according to a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Authored by more than 20 leading public health researchers, including one from the US EPA and another from the United Nations, the paper lays out ‘a large body of evidence’ linking multiple childhood diseases to synthetic chemicals, and recommends a series of aggressive actions to… better protect children.” [The New Lede, Jan 8, 2025]

A Tiny Drop in an Ocean of Chemicals

Americans have been consuming Red No. 3 since 1907—and it took the FDA nearly 118 years to ban this additive from the food supply despite removing it from cosmetics more than 30 years ago after studies linked it to cancer in animals… The FDA currently allows… other artificial color additives in foods… These dyes have also been linked to various health concerns, including hyperactivity in children, allergic reactions, and potential carcinogenic effects. How many food additives remain in circulation simply because the FDA doesn’t want to expend the effort to regulate them? This is a rhetorical question. There are too many to count.” -Megan Redshaw

Children are Suffering and Dying from Diseases Caused by the Onslaught of Toxic Chemicals

Children are suffering and dying from diseases that emerging scientific research links to chemical exposures, findings that require urgent revamping of laws around the world, according to a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Authored by more than 20 leading public health researchers, including one from the US EPA and another from the United Nations, the paper lays out “a large body of evidence” linking multiple childhood diseases to synthetic chemicals, and recommends a series of aggressive actions to… better protect children. The paper is a “call to arms” to forge an “actual commitment to the health of our children,” said a co-author of the paper. – The New Lede, Jan 8, 2025

Synthetic Food Dyes

Outdated FDA standards expose Americans to toxic food dyes linked to cancer, neurobehavioral issues, and other health risks, demanding urgent regulatory action. - Nicolas Hulscher, MPH

Artificial (synthetic) dyes add color to food.

Synthetic food dyes include tartrazine (yellow #5), blue #1, red #3, red #40 and others. The dye with official name FD&C Red No 3 has also been called erythrosine, E127 and xanthene among other names.
“Synthetic dyes are essentially useless. They don’t help preserve food or add any nutritional value; their job is to entice.” In addition to food, synthetic dyes are found in some personal care items such as make-up and hair products, and in some medications. [source]
Artificial food dyes are in “nearly all candies and fruit-flavored snacks sold in conventional American grocery stores. They’re on the ingredient list of hundreds of thousands of branded food items, from Fruit Loops and Trix Cereal to Gatorade and Skittles.” [source] “Batada et al found that nearly half (43%) of grocery store products contained artificial food colorings… Candies (96%), fruit-flavored snacks (94%), and drink mixes/powders (90%) had the highest prevalence, while produce contained none.” [source]
Animal studies show that synthetic food dyes have neurological effects, “affecting memory and learning, [causing] changes in the brain’s neurotransmitters (chemicals that carry signals from one nerve to the next), and… brain structure.” [source and source and source and source]
Health effects linked to synthetic food colorings in children include: neurobehavioral disorders, allergic reactions, carcinogenic and mutagenic potential, gastrointestinal and respiratory issues, toxicity, developmental and growth delays, and behavioral changes. [source]
“Titanium dioxide is the most widely used whitening pigment in the world and has been linked to adverse health effects, particularly genotoxicity and intestinal inflammation. It is applied as a food coloring and a whitening agent to a wide variety of foods, including chewing gum, cakes, candies, breads and ice cream. Because of health risks, France banned titanium dioxide as a food additive in 2020. Two years later the European Union also banned titanium dioxide as a food additive. But in the U.S., titanium dioxide is found all over the grocery shelves.” [source]
Studies with children confirm the neurological and behavioral impacts. “ ‘Evidence shows that synthetic food dyes are associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in some children.’ The report is the product of a two-year evaluation of seven synthetic food dyes that have been approved by the FDA. OEHHA extensively reviewed existing studies of the effects of these dyes on both humans and laboratory animals. ‘Challenge studies’ placed the children on a dye-free diet for several weeks and measured their behavior. The children were then given food or drinks with dyes added, and measures of their behavior were recorded by a number of standardized methods… Researchers also found that all of the FDA’s Acceptable Daily Intake levels (ADIs) for synthetic food dyes are based on 35- to 70-year-old studies that were not designed to detect the types of behavioral effects that have been observed in children.” [source and source and source]
“The OEHHA report noted that children’s exposure to synthetic dyes should be reduced. It stated that some of the effects of dyes on children are: hyperactivity, inattentiveness, restlessness, sleeplessness, irritability, aggression.” [source]
“Synthetic dyes have a long and troubled history. Lead chromate, arsenic and additives made from coal tar were some of the first iterations, packing a poisonous punch for 19th and 20th century consumers. In 1950, dozens of children fell ill after consuming Halloween candy tainted with a dangerous dye, Orange 1.” [source]
“Tartrazine (Yellow Dye #5) is an example of a harmful food additive, originally derived from coal tar and now from petroleum. Tartrazine causes various health issues, including tumors, asthma, developmental delays, neurological damage, ADD/ADHD, hormone disruption, gene damage, anxiety, depression, and intestinal injuries. Many common foods, including those marketed as healthy or for children, contain tartrazine and other potentially harmful additives… Some countries require warning labels on foods containing certain additives like tartrazine, particularly regarding potential effects on children. There is a connection between food additives and increased use of medications like Adderall, Prozac, and asthma inhalers.” [source and source and source and source]
“Industry studies linked red dye No. 3 to cancer in rodents more than 30 years ago, and public health groups have spent years lobbying food companies and regulators to get the chemical out of foods.” [source and source]

‘Synthetic dye makes their food more brightly colored, more attractive to kids, and I think it helps them sell their products.’ … Foods with synthetic dyes aren’t packaged with a warning label in the United States, so sifting through individual product labels is usually the only way to decipher exactly which food items contain which dyes. – Environmental Working Group & Science News
Naturally occurring color additives from vegetable and mineral sources were used to color foods, drugs, and cosmetics in ancient times. Paprika, turmeric, saffron, iron and lead oxides, and copper sulfate are some examples… In 1856, William Henry Perkin discovered the first synthetic… dye… Discoveries of similar dyes soon followed and they quickly became used to color foods, drugs, and cosmetics. Because these dyes were first produced from by-products of coal processing, they were known as “coal-tar colors.” … Butter and cheese were the first foods for which the federal government authorized the use of artificial coloring. By 1900, many foods, drugs and cosmetics available in the U.S. were artificially colored. However, not all of the coloring agents were harmless and some were being used to hide inferior or defective foods. A careful assessment of the chemicals used for coloring foods at the time found many blatantly poisonous materials such as lead, arsenic, and mercury being added. In many cases, the toxicities of the starting materials for synthesizing coloring agents were well known and could be toxins, irritants, sensitizers, or carcinogens… In 1906, Congress passed the Food and Drugs Act, which prohibited the use of poisonous or deleterious colors in confectionery and the coloring or staining of food to conceal damage or inferiority… In 1927, responsibility for enforcing the Food and Drugs Act of 1906 was given to the newly established FDA.” – Food Safety Magazine

Artificial Sweeteners, High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Industrial food producers use high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), sucralose (Splenda), and saccharin, all of which create harm.

“Artificial sweeteners cause DNA damage in, and interfere with, normal activity in gut bacteria, making it difficult for beneficial bacteria to communicate, grow and reproduce. Destruction of healthy bacteria opens the door to increased growth of unfriendly microorganisms that cause health problems. Artificial sweeteners trick your body into storing fat, stimulate your appetite, increase cravings for carbohydrates and… lead to the progression of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.” [source]
“Seven commonly used artificial sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame, Sucralose, NHDC, Cyclamate, Neotame, and Saccharin)… increase the risk of kidney cancer, low-grade glioma, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.” [source]
“Research has linked aspartame consumption to various neurological symptoms, including headaches and migraines, seizures and cognitive impairment… When metabolized, aspartame breaks down into phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol. The latter converts to formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, in the body.” [source and source and source]
“Dozens of studies have linked the popular artificial sweetener aspartame to serious health problems, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, stroke and dementia, as well as negative effects such as intestinal dysbiosis, mood disorders, headaches and migraines. Aspartame is found in about 6,000 products, including Diet Coke and many other products marketed as ‘diet.'” [source]
“Consuming heavily processed foods made with artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened drinks was… strongly correlated with a higher risk of depression.” [source]
“An aspartame breakdown product blocks the activity of a gut enzyme IAP. IAP was found to prevent the development of metabolic syndrome (and reduce symptoms in those with the condition). Aspartame likely promotes obesity by interfering with IAP activity.” [source]
“Most commonly sold under the brand name Splenda, sucralose is used in over 6,000 food products. Scientific studies of sucralose reveal the following health risks: leukemia… obesity, diabetes, weight gain, increased appetite, metabolic dysfunction… decreased insulin sensitivity… DNA damage (genotoxicity)… enters breast milk… accumulates in body… forms toxic or carcinogetic compounds when heated… irritable bowel syndrome… colon cancer… liver inflammation.” [source and source and source and source and source and source and source and source and source and source]
“Sucralose can significantly alter the composition and function of gut bacteria… potentially contributing to the rise of ‘superbugs.’ … Sucralose exposure led to: reduced numbers of beneficial bacteria, increased counts of harmful bacteria, altered pH levels in the gastrointestinal tract. These changes persisted even after a 3-month recovery period, suggesting long-term impacts on gut health… Like aspartame, sucralose has been linked to metabolic disturbances including increased glucose and insulin levels, decreased insulin sensitivity and altered gut peptide secretion. These effects suggest that sucralose may actually promote, rather than prevent, metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes. While Splenda is often advertised as ideal for baking, research has shown that heating sucralose to just 248°F (120°C) can cause it to break down into potentially harmful compounds, including chloropropanols and dioxins.” [source and source and source]
“Saccharin is carcinogenic for the urinary bladder in rats and mice, and most likely is carcinogenic in human beings.” [1978 source]
A 2007 study titled ‘Intense sweetness surpasses cocaine reward’ found that when given the choice between saccharin-sweetened water and intravenous cocaine, 94% of rats chose the saccharin solution… The intense sweetness of artificial sweeteners like saccharin may have addictive potential surpassing even that of highly addictive drugs.” [source and source]
“Countries with higher availability of high fructose corn syrup have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes independent of obesity.” [source]
“Fructose consumption has increased considerably over the past five decades, largely due to the widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener… Here we show that fructose supplementation enhances tumour growth in animal models of melanoma, breast cancer and cervical cancer.” [source]

Emulsifiers, Carrageenan

Emulsifiers are “widely used food additives in industrially processed foods” used to improve texture, thicken, blend or stabilize foods, act as a fat substitue, and enhance shelf-life.” [source and source]

Synthetic emulsifiers include, for example, carrageenan (E407), polysorbate 80, and carboxymethylcellulose.
Emulsifiers are “in a large number of processed foods, including peanut butter, bread, sausage, and ice-cream.” [source]
“In this large prospective cohort, we observed associations between higher intakes of carrageenans and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids with overall, breast and prostate cancer risk.” [source]
Synthetic emulsifiers “are linked to various diseases“, causing harm by negatively affecting the gut microbiome. [source and source]
Synthetic emulsifiers contribute to intestinal inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and metabolic syndrome. [source]
Emulsifiers can “lead to cognitive decline. Polysorbate 80 caused disruption of the blood-brain barrier that led to toxins building up in the brain.” [source and source]
“As both gut microbiota and intestinal health can influence social and anxiety-like behaviors, we investigated whether emulsifier consumption would detrimentally influence behavior… We confirmed tha emulsifiers altered anxiety-like behaviors in males and reduced social behavior in females. It also changed expression of neuropeptides implicated in… social and anxiety-related behaviors.” [source]
“A clinical study published in BMC Medicine builds on growing evidence that carrageenan, a common additive in ultraprocessed foods, may damage the lining of the small intestine and the body’s ability to process blood sugar (insulin resistance). These harms can potentially lead to serious chronic conditions such as Crohn’s disease and increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the researchers say.” [source and source and source]

Sources by Date

Jan 16, 2025 — Why High-Fructose Corn Syrup Must Be Removed from Our Food — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
Jan 15, 2025 — Breaking: FDA Finally Bans Synthetic Red Dye No. 3: It only took the FDA 118 years to ban Red Dye No. 3—a synthetic food additive derived from petroleum the agency knew was linked to cancer since the 1980s.; "The FDA currently allows seven other artificial color additives in foods... These dyes have also been linked to various health concerns, including hyperactivity in children, allergic reactions, and potential carcinogenic effects. How many food additives remain in circulation simply because the FDA doesn’t want to expend the effort to regulate them? This is a rhetorical question. There are too many to count." — Megan Redshaw link
Jan 15, 2025 — Dye Hard: FDA Finally Bans Red Dye #3 on the Eve of Trump Resuming Office: The dye has been linked to cancer for decades; "It’s one of many chemicals that studies link to thyroid, heart, liver, reproductive and immune problems, and brain issues like hyperactivity."— Sharyl Attkisson link
Jan 15, 2025 — Red Dye #3 is Out, and Boosters May Get RCT; "The burden of RCTs [randomized control trials] exist for those who offer, sell or deploy substances they claim make you better off, but not those who think we should add novel chemicals to our bodies that are done for convenience or color preservation." — Dr. Vinay Prasad MD, MPH link
Jan 15, 2025 — FDA Finally Bans Cancer-Linked Red No. 3 Food Dye: A Long-Overdue Step, Yet Dangerous Covid-19 Genetic Injections and Other Synthetic Dyes Remain on the Market; "Food manufacturers will have until Jan. 15, 2027 to reformulate their products. Companies that make ingested drugs, such as dietary supplements, will get an additional year." — Nicolas Hulscher MPH link
Jan 15, 2025 — The Effects of Artificial Food Dyes on Children’s Brains: Petitions, boycotts, legislation, and an upcoming documentary are awakening awareness and concern for how synthetic dyes might harm children’s brains.; "'I’ve talked to parents who took years to connect the dots that their children’s behavioral problems have anything to do with food dye..." Not all children react to the same degree, though cumulative exposure can be difficult to track. 'These dyes should not be in the food supply. It’s heartbreaking that parents and kids have to go through so much. It makes me so angry.'" — Amy Denney, The Epoch Times link
Jan 15, 2025 — FD&C Red No. 3; "On January 15, 2025 the FDA revoked authorization for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs in the U.S. Manufacturers who use FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs will have until January 15, 2027 or January 18, 2028, respectively, to reformulate their products... The revoked authorization of FD&C Red No. 3 was done in response to a 2022 petition... FD&C Red No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is a synthetic dye with a cherry-pink stain... Some examples of medications contining FD&C Red No. 3: Acetaminophen and Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride... Acyclovir... Doxycycline Monohydrate... Fluoxetine Hydrochloride... Ramipril..." — Drugs.com link
Jan 10, 2025 — High-Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Speedier Tumor Growth — Dr. Joseph Mercola, Global Research link
Jan 9, 2025 — U.S. Allows This Food Additive in Breads, Cakes and Ice Cream — But It’s Banned in Europe: Titanium dioxide, the most widely used whitening pigment in the world, has been linked to adverse health effects, particularly genotoxicity and intestinal inflammation. It is applied as a food coloring and a whitening agent to chewing gum, cakes, candies, breads and ice cream. — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know (Children's Health Defense) link
Jan 8, 2025 — ‘Grave Concern’: Chronic Diseases Are Killing Kids—and Exposure to Chemicals Is Driving the Epidemic: A paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that chronic diseases are the main cause of illness and death for children in the U.S. and Europe; "We are conducting a vast toxicologic experiment in the United States in which our children and grandchildren are the unwitting and consenting subjects as they are exposed daily to hundreds of
manufactured chemicals. We think that this is fundamentally unethical and immoral, and that it must change..." Associations between widely used chemicals and disease in children 'continue to be discovered with distressing frequency,.'" — Michael Nevradakis PhD, Children's Health Defense link
Jan 8, 2025 — An Integrative Analysis Reveals Cancer Risk Associated with Artificial Sweeteners; "Seven commonly used artificial sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame, Sucralose, NHDC, Cyclamate, Neotame, and Saccharin)... increase the risk of kidney cancer, low-grade glioma, breast cancer, and prostate cancer." — Jumin Xie et al, Journal of Translational Medicine link
Jan 8, 2025 — RFK Jr. Has Targeted GMO Corn Syrup. That Puts Him at Odds With America’s Corn Belt: Corn produced for high-fructose corn syrup has decreased by 21% over the past decade, but it’s still a key revenue generator for some industrial producers — Ben Felder, Investigate Midwest (Children's Response Center) link
Jan 5, 2025 — Dyehard; "The pressure is increasing on the FDA to act on a national level—years after studies show some of these chemicals cause cancer in animals and are associated with a host of other health risks." — Full Measure link
Dec 14, 2024 — Will the FDA Finally Ban Red No. 3? A decision could come soon — Allison Aubrey, NPR link
Dec 11, 2024 — FDA “GRAS” Additives and Artificial Food Coloring Banned in Many Countries Still “Certified” in the USA — David Gortler, Brownstone Institute link
Dec 11, 2024 — High-Fructose Corn Syrup Fuels Tumor Growth in Animals with Cancer, a New Study Shows — Pamela Ferdinand, U.S. Right to Know link
Dec 11, 2024 — Startling Findings: High-Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Cancer Growth — Washington Univeristy, SciTechDaily link
Dec 10, 2024 — High-Fructose Corn Syrup is Everywhere - Scientists Say It May Make Cancerous Tumors Grow Faster: “In some cases, the growth rate of the tumors accelerated by two-fold or even higher" — Suzanne Burdick PhD, Children's Health Defense link
Dec 9, 2024 — Carrageenan May Damage Gut Lining, Promote Inflammation And Type 2 Diabetes Risk — Pamela Ferdinand, U.S. Right to Know link
Dec 9, 2024 — Consumer Groups Demand FDA Ban Cancer-Causing Red Dye No. 3 — The New Lede, Children’s Health Defense link
Dec 6, 2024 — Spotlight On Cancer-Causing Food Additive As Advocates Demand FDA Ban Red Dye 3 — Shannon Kelleher, The New Lede link
Dec 5, 2024 — Fructose May Drive Cancer Growth: Animal Study; "Fructose is currently consumed in increasing amounts in the American diet, largely due to the food additive high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in processed foods... In a a previous sutdy, HFCS was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer in mice prone to developing intestinal tumors and could increase the size and aggressiveness of colorectal tumors. That study also found that blocking the uptake of the sweetener by the body’s cells could prevent this growth. HFCS has also been linked to other health risks, including liver disease... diabetes... [and] heart disease." — George Citroner, The Epoch Times link
Dec 4, 2024 — Dietary Fructose Enhances Tumour Growth Indirectly via Interorgan Lipid Transfer; "Fructose consumption has increased considerably over the past five decades, largely due to the widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener... Here we show that fructose supplementation enhances tumour growth in animal models of melanoma, breast cancer and cervical cancer." — Ronald Fowle-Grider et al, Nature link
Dec 3, 2024 — Aspartame, Pesticides, and New Codex Leadership; "Aspartame contains methanol, a dangerous toxicant, which was not adequately considered in the JECFA review. Aspartame is an unjustified food additive since it violates Codex’s Preamble that 'the use of food additives is justified only when such use has an advantage, does not present an appreciable health risk to consumers, does not mislead the consumer, and serves one or more technological functions"... Questions have arisen about the rampant conflicts of interest in the JECFA assessment panel on aspartame because at least 6 out of the 13 panel members have ties to the industry trade group called International Life Sciences Institute, which was founded by a Coca-Cola executive and is heavily funded by the same soft drink industry and pharmaceutical companies." — Scott C. Tips, The National Health Federation link
Nov 29, 2024 — Study Finds Plant-Based Food Additive Associated With Increased Insulin Resistance — George Citroner, The Epoch Times link
Nov 27, 2024 — Food Additive Carrageenan could Disrupt Intestinal Barrier and Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes — Medical Xpress link
Nov 26, 2024 — Carrageenan And Insulin Resistance In Humans: A Randomised Double-Blind Cross-Over Trial — Robert Wagner, et al, BMC link
Nov 25, 2024 — Synthetic Food Dyes: A Half-Century of Harm: Outdated FDA standards expose Americans to toxic food dyes linked to cancer, neurobehavioral issues, and other health risks, demanding urgent regulatory action. — Nicolas Hulscher MPH link
Nov 15, 2024 — Why Petroleum-Based Yellow Food Dye, Targeted by RFK Jr., Poses Hidden Risks to Children — Amy Denney, The Epoch Times link
Nov 12, 2024 — A Common Food Additive May Be Messing With Your Brain — Scott C. Anderson, Psychology Today link
Oct 28, 2024 — Are synthetic food dyes bad for you? Here’s what the science says. Some research has shown a link to certain neurobehavioral issues in children. — Sophie Hartley, Science News link
Oct 1, 2024 — Tartrazine; On Colar: From Road Paving To Food Coloring — Unbekoming link
Sep 29, 2024 — Do Food Dyes Make ADHD Worse? Why Some Studies' Findings Spur Food Coloring Bans — Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today link
Sep 25, 2024 — FDA Response to External Safety Reviews of Aspartame; "Aspartame being labeled by IARC as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' does not mean that aspartame is actually linked to cancer. The FDA disagrees with IARC’s conclusion that these studies support classifying aspartame as a possible carcinogen to humans." — FDA link
Sep 23, 2024 — Long-term exposure of sucralose induces neuroinflammation and ferroptosis in human microglia cells via SIRT1/NLRP3/IL-1β/GPx4 signaling pathways — Ceyhan Hacioglu, Food Science & Nutrition link
Aug 29, 2024 — Artificial Sweeteners like Erythritol Directly Linked to Blood Clots and Heart Disease; "Healthy volunteers who consumed erythritol at levels typically found in a 'sugarless' soda or muffin experienced a staggering spike in blood erythritol levels to well over 1,000 times the baseline. More concerning, this consumption was accompanied by a significant increase in blood clot formation. When the same participants consumed glucose, their blood didn’t show the same tendency to clot." — Eric Ralls, Earth.com link
Aug 8, 2024 — Popular Sweetener Linked to Increased Risk of Blood Clots, Heart Attack, and Stroke; "Erythritol makes platelets—blood cells involved in clotting—more active, leading them to react more strongly and increasing the risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke." — Cara Michelle Miller, The Epoch Times link
May 18, 2024 — Aspartame: Decades of Science Point to Serious Health Risks — Stacy Malkan, U.S. Right to Know link
Jul 31, 2024 — Understanding the Link between Aspartame and Cancer — Morando Soffritti, Taylor & Francis Online link
Jul 22, 2024 — Decades of Research Confirms How Aspartame Harms Your Health; "I’ve been sounding the alarm on artificial sweeteners — particularly aspartame — for many years, as I believe it is one of the most pernicious products ever to make its way into our food supply. Many people have been led to believe that swapping sugar for aspartame means they’re doing their health a favor. But on the contrary, this toxic sweetener is one of the worst food additives you can consume. A recently published review investigates the long history of aspartame and the dozens of health problems associated with it. After reading the report, you’ll likely toss out all aspartame-containing products from your pantry." — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
Jun 27, 2024 — This Artificial Sweetener Is More Damaging to Human Health Than Aspartame: Neotame, an artificial sweetener that’s chemically similar to aspartame, may seriously damage the human intestine and overall gut health. Not only does it cause cell death in intestinal cells but it also damages bacteria commonly found in the gut. — Dr. Joseph Mercola, Children's Health Defense link
Jun 14, 2024 — Common Low-Calorie Sweetener Linked to Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds; "A low-calorie sweetener called xylitol... may be linked to nearly twice the risk of heart attacks, stroke and death in people who consume the highest levels of the sweetener, a new study found." — Sandee LaMotte, CNN link
Jun 6, 2024 — Xylitol is Prothrombotic and Associated with Cardiovascular Risk — Marco Witkowski et al, European Heart Journal link
Jun 20, 2024 — Common Dietary Emulsifiers Promote Metabolic Disorders And Intestinal Microbiota Dysbiosis In Mice — Suraphan Panyod, et al, Communications Biology link
May 29, 2024 — Decades of Science Link Popular Artificial Sweetener to Serious Health Risks: Dozens of studies have linked aspartame to serious health problems, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, stroke and dementia, plus mood disorders, headaches and migraines. — Stacy Malkan, U.S. Right to Know (Children's Health Defense) link
May 27, 2024 — Synthetic Colors in Food: A Warning for Children’s Health — Zandleme Birino de Oliveira, et al, PubMed link
Apr 24, 2024 — Cakes and Drinks Sweetener Neotame can Damage Gut Wall, Scientists Find: Industry’s sugar substitute E961 can have ‘toxic effect on health’, says study finding sweetener capable of damaging intestinal bacteria — Denis Campbell, The Guardian link
Apr 18, 2024 — Artificially Sweetened Drinks Linked to Serious Heart Condition: Research published in the journal Circulation found a link between artificial and sugar-sweetened beverages and atrial fibrillation, or AFib, an abnormal heartbeat caused by the heart chambers beating out of sync with the lower chambers. — Dr. Joseph Mercola, Children's Health Defense link
Apr 17, 2024 — Diet Soda Linked to Serious Heart Condition Risk; "Artificial sweeteners cause DNA damage in, and interfere with, normal activity in gut bacteria... Destruction of healthy bacteria opens the door to increased growth of unfriendly microorganisms that cause health problems... Try swapping your soda for clean water or Hibiscus tea." — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
Mar 31, 2024 — Dietary Emulsifier Polysorbate 80 Exposure Accelerates Age-Related Cognitive Decline — Lan Zhang, et al, PubMed link
Feb 13, 2024 — Food Additive Emulsifiers And Cancer Risk: Results From The French Prospective Nutrinet-Santé Cohort — Laury Sellem, et al, PLOS Medicine link
Jan 22, 2024 — The Dubious Strategies of the Artificial Sweetener Companies: Critics warn consumers to be on the lookout for ways the artificial sweetener industry bends advertising rules to reach a growing market. — Amy Denney, The Epoch Times link
Sep 29, 2023 — Popular Artificial Sweetener May Lead to Cognitive Deficits in Offspring: Study; A new study finds that male mice that consumed aspartame yielded offspring with memory and learning problems. — Mary Gillis, The Epoch Times link
Sep 19, 2023 — Common Sweetener now Linked to Impaired Memory and Learning; "Researchers found that male mice consuming aspartame at significantly lower levels than deemed safe by the FDA passed on learning and memory deficits to their offspring." — Bronwyn Thompson, New Atlas link
Aug 18, 2023 — A Sweet Deception: Unwrapping the Secret Dangers of Splenda — Ty & Charlene Bollinger, The Truth About Cancer link
Aug 17, 2023 — Revealed: WHO Aspartame Safety Panel Linked to Alleged Coca-Cola Front Group: Guideline on Diet Coke ingredient by consultants tied to industry is ‘obvious conflict of interest’ and ‘not credible’, report says — Tom Perkins, The Guardian link
Aug 2, 2023 — Aspartame Effects Show Up in Offspring 2 Generations Later — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
Aug 2, 2023 — Aspartame is Tied to Weight Gain, Increased Appetite and Obesity — Stacy Malkan, U.S. Right to Know link
August 2023 — Oral exposure to an acceptable daily intake dose of aspartame induced a delayed proinflammatory cytokine response in the cerebrospinal fluid of rats; "Aspartame led to delayed pro-inflammatory cytokine responses in cerebrospinal fluid, blood and brain." — Xiaoyi He et al, Food and Chemical Toxicology link
August 2023 — Carcinogenicity of Aspartame, Methyleugenol, and Isoeugenol; "In June, 2023, a Working Group of 25 scientists from 12 countries met at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, to finalise their evaluation of the carcinogenicity of aspartame, methyleugenol, and isoeugenol. Aspartame was classified as 'possibly carcinogenic to human' (Group 2B)."— Elio Riboli et al, The Lancet link
Jul 20, 2023 — WHO Admission: Aspartame “Possibly” Carcinogenic; "Yet the FDA, responsible for protecting our health and making sure our food is safe, continues to go to bat for Big Food." — Alliance for Natural Health link
Jul 19, 2023 — Did a Coca-Cola Front Group Sway a WHO Review of Aspartame? — Gary Ruskin, U.S. Right to Know link
Jul 14, 2023 — Top Sweetener Officially Declared a Carcinogen; "The World Health Organization has finally gotten around to declaring the popular artificial sweetener aspartame a potential carcinogen. The ruling comes from IARC, who said aspartame will be listed as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” in July 2023... For over a decade, researchers have been warning of aspartame’s neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity, stating reevaluation of aspartame consumption is 'urgent and cannot be delayed.' A 2022 large-scale cohort study found people who consumed higher levels of artificial sweeteners had higher risk of overall cancer compared to non-consumers." — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
Jul 13, 2023 — WHO says Aspartame Possibly Causes Cancer; Industry and FDA Say No Way; "One of the world’s leading global health bodies has declared aspartame — a common artificial sweetener used in Diet Coke and many other sugar-free products — to be a possible human carcinogen, sparking a full-court pushback by the beverage industry in defense of the product’s safety. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a World Health Organization body, said Thursday that aspartame is a 'class 2B carcinogen,' meaning it possibly causes cancer." — Michael E. Kanell, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution link
Jul 13, 2023 — Aspartame Is a Possible Cause of Cancer in Humans, a W.H.O. Agency Says: The F.D.A. and the powerful beverage industry protested the new findings, and a second W.H.O. group stood by its standard that the sweetener is generally safe. — Christina Jewett, The New York Times link
Jul 13, 2023 — Summary of Findings of the Evaluation of Aspartame; "The agent has been classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans." — International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) link
Jun 30, 2023 — WHO Confirms Aspartame-Cancer Connection — Ty & Charlene Bollinger, The Truth About Cancer link
May 15, 2023 — WHO Advises Not to Use Non-Sugar Sweeteners for Weight Control in Newly Released Guideline — World Health Organization (WHO) link
Dec 23, 2022 — Cytotoxic And Mutagenic Effects Of The Food Additive Tartrazine On Eukaryotic Cells — Jailson Rodrigues dos Santos, et al, BMC link
Oct 24, 2022 — Red 3 Petition: The Center for Science in the Public Interest and 23 other organizations and prominent scientists are today urging the Food and Drug Administration to formally remove Red 3 from the list of approved color additives in foods, dietary supplements, and oral medicines.; "The FDA Has Already Determined that Animal Feeding Studies 'Firmly Establish' that FD&C Red No. 3 Causes Cancer." — Center for Science in the Public Interest link and link
Feb 24, 2022 — Low Dose of Sucralose Alter Gut Microbiome in Mice — Zibin Zheng et al, Frontiers in Nutrition link
Oct 29, 2021 — Does Too Much Fructose Help Colorectal Cancers Grow?; "The study found that large amounts of the sweetener, which is present in both table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), increased how long both normal and cancer cells in the intestines live. In normal mice, this increased cell survival led to more nutrients being absorbed, leading to weight gain. And in mice prone to develop cancer, the increased cell survival led the animals to develop larger tumors and more anemia, a common tumor-related complication." — Sharon Reynolds, National Cancer Institute link
Aug 10, 2021 — Seeing Red Dye No. 3; "In January, after 36 extensions for more research, the Food and Drug Administration, which has been thinking about banning Red Dye No. 3 for 30 years, finally got around to it. Kind of... In other words, you can`t put R.D. No. 3 in lipstick anymore, but you can still put it in food.... pistachios, Jell-O or fruit cocktail... Fruit cocktail growers are lobbying hard to keep it that way, because they haven`t found any other way to turn cherries the peculiarly unnatural shade of pink that cheers up their mix of chopped peaches and pears." — Chicago Tribune link
Apr 16, 2021 — Report Links Synthetic Food Dyes to Hyperactivity and other Neurobehavioral Effects in Children — Sam Delson, OEHHA link
April 2021 — Health Effects Assessment: Potential Neurobehavioral Effects of Synthetic Food Dyes in Children; "The body of evidence from human studies indicates that synthetic food dyes are associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in children... The types of studies conducted in children that we focused on for this review are called 'challenge studies' and are classified as clinical trials." — California Evironmental Protection Agency link
Mar 22, 2021 — Direct Impact Of Commonly Used Dietary Emulsifiers On Human Gut Microbiota — Sabrine Naimi, et al, BMC link
November 2020 — Synergistic Effects of Fructose and Glucose on Lipoprotein Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Young Adults; "A significant interaction between fructose and glucose contributed to increases of lipoprotein risk factors when the two monosaccharides were
co-ingested as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)." — Bettina Hieronimus et al, Metabolism link
Sep 15, 2020 — How High Fructose Intake May Trigger Fatty Liver Disease; "A major source of fructose is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), an inexpensive substitute for cane sugar that was introduced in the 1970s. It’s now used to sweeten a variety of foods, including soda, candy, baked goods, and cereals. Studies have linked excessive consumption of HFCS and other added sugars to health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease." — NIH (National Institutes of Health) link
Mar 22, 2020 — High-Fructose Corn Syrup Enhances Intestinal Tumor Growth in Mice — Marcus D. Goncalves et al, Science (PubMed) link
Jan 17, 2019 — Dietary Emulsifiers Consumption Alters Anxiety-Like And Social-Related Behaviors In Mice In A Sex-Dependent Manner — Mary K. Holder, et al, Nature link
Aug 2018 — High Dose Allura Red, Rather Than The ADI Dose, Induces Structural And Behavioral Changes In The Medial Prefrontal Cortex Of Rats And Taurine Can Protect It — Ali Noorafshan, et al, Science Direct link
Jul 24, 2017 — Gut Microbiome Response to Sucralose and Its Potential Role in Inducing Liver Inflammation in Mice — Xiaoming Bian et al, Frontiers in Physiology link
Feb 17, 2016 — Exposure Estimate for FD&C Colour Additives for the US Population; "For all populations and all exposure scenarios, the highest cumulative eaters-only exposures in food were determined for FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5 and FD&C Yellow No. 6." — Diana L. Doell et al, Food Additivies & Contaminants link
May 2014 — Saccharin Consumption Increases Sperm DNA Fragmentation and Apoptosis [Cell Death] in Mice; "Following saccharin consumption, we had a reduction in sperm motility with respect to control animals... the sperm count diminished... and [sperm size] decreased... We saw a statistically significant increase in rates of sperm DNA damage and [cell death] in experimental group when compared to control." — Marzieh Rahimipour, Iranian Journal of Reproductive Medicine link
Jan 14, 2013 — Is Your Compost Made of Sewage Sludge?; "The EPA refused to test his field so the farmer hired out to have it done. The result? The fields contained high levels of thallium, a toxic metal that is the active ingredient in rat poison. It turned out that a nearby factory used the chemical in its production of NutraSweet and flushed the residues down the drain. Thallium was later detected in local supplies of milk at levels more than 11 times above the legal limit for drinking water. When the farmer sued the Federal Government for disaster relief, a judge found that, according to Mother Jones magazine, 'senior EPA officials took extraordinary steps to quash scientific dissent and any questioning of the EPA’s biosolids program. Why would the EPA fight the truth? Because the recycling of sewage sludge is big business.'" — Eric Vinje, Planet Natural link
Jul 2, 2009 — Clinical Spectrum of Adverse Reactions to Tartrazine — Cecil Collins-Williams, Taylor & Francis Online link
May 2009 — In Utero and Early Life Susceptibility to Carcinogens: The Derivation of Age-at-Exposure Sensitivity Measures; "These results indicate that early lifestages are generally more sensitive to carcinogen exposure than adults, and that cancer risk assessment practices should take increased sensitivity of the young into account. When data on age-at-exposure related susceptibility are lacking for a specific carcinogen, these analyses indicate that increased susceptibility of the young is a scientifically justifiable assumption." — California Environmental Protection Agency link
Oct 1, 2003 — Color Additives: FDA's Regulatory Process and Historical Perspectives — Julie N. Barrows PhD et al, Food Safety Magazine link
Apr 1, 1997 — Estrogenic and DNA-Damaging Activity of Red No. 3 in Human Breast Cancer Cells; "Consumption of Red No. 3, which has estrogenlike growth stimulatory properties and may be genotoxic, could be a significant risk factor in human breast carcinogenesis." — C. Dees et al, Environmental Health Perspectives link
Nov 1994 — Synthetic Food Coloring And Behavior: A Dose Response Effect In A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Repeated-Measures Study; "200 [children] were included in a 6-week open trial of a diet free of synthetic food coloring. The parents of 150 children reported behavioral improvement with the diet, and deterioration on the introduction of foods noted to contain synthetic coloring." — Katherine S. Rowe, et al, The Journal of Pediatrics link
1990 / 1991 — Evaluation of Certain Food Additivies and Contaminants [Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committe on Food Additives meeting in Geneva from Jun 5-14, 1990, Report published in 1991] — World Health Organization link
Feb 13, 1985 — The Saga of a Food Regulation: After 25 Years, Still No Decision; "On Feb. 1 the Food and Drug Administration put off a decision to ban six artificial colors that have been found to cause cancer in test animals. To those who have been following this proposed regulation, the delay could hardly have been a surprise: It was the 26th time that the agency had postponed action since the proposal was first made, in 1960." — Marian Burros, The New York Times link
Jan-Feb 1982 — Sulfanilic Acid: Behavioral Change Related To Azo Food Dyes In Developing Rats — J R Goldenring, et al, PubMed link
August 1978 — Carcinogenicity of Saccharin — M.D. Rueber, NIH link
No Date — Is Sucralose Safe To Have? Let’s Talk About This Artificial Sweetener + Your Health; "Consuming sucralose can lead to chronic inflammation, a silent killer that undermines overall health... Consuming sucralose can contribute to insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Research suggests that sucralose may alter gut microbiota, impairing glucose metabolism... activate sweet receptors, confusing the body's natural response to sugar, [and] enhance glucose uptake in fat cells, promoting weight gain... Consuming sucralose has been linked to an increased risk of various health conditions, including: type 2 diabetes... heart disease... stroke... cancer... kidney disease... neurological disorders... autoimmune diseases." — Dr. WIll Cole link

Agency Betrayal: Verifiable Evidence

Government agencies entrusted to promote safety have caused great harm — easily verifiable with reams of evidence compiled below, demonstrating decades of betrayal and corruption.

Each line item below has multiple links. Select the phrases you’re most interested in to verify sources.

Government uses the power granted to it to do the following:

Neglect to protect waterways from municipal wastewater discharges, from pharmaceuticals containing toxic PFAS, and from “plumes of forever chemicals from US military bases” that poison drinking water supplies. Fail to protect bottled water… mineral water… sparkling water... and water on airplanes. Stand by while researchers and everyday people report on the harms from drinking poisoned water contaminated with forever chemicals and weedkiller poisons… Leave whole cities without support even when there are egregious, public violations of water safety regulations, neglecting to prevent or address the entirety of the U.S. experiencing “unsafe levels of a cancer-causing chemical contaminating the tap water of more than 200 million Americans in all 50 states.” Repeatedly betray people, after they supposedly took care of removing poisons from the water.
Fail to protect sources of food from multiple known harms including phthalates which cause a litany of disease … BPA, linked to heart disease and other serious harms… synthetic food dyes that cause neurobehavioral disorders, respiratory issues, and developmental delays… neurotoxins sold as artificial sweeteners, which also cause cancer, and pesticides such as glyphosate, atrazine, paraquat, and CFS that cause cancer as well as brain damage, decreased IQ, and autism in children among other harms. In 2021, after 30 years of delays, the FDA banned a cancer-causing red dye in cosmetics, but didn’t stop it from being used in food. In 2024, 100% of Girl Scout cookies tested positive for glyphosate, plus toxic metals such as cadmium and lead.
Fail to protect clean air, neglecting at least 83 million people known to be breathing “unhealthy air”… displaying such contempt for communities exposed to ‘toxic mountains’ of waste that the EPA must be threatened with legal action, and equally as dismissive of contaminated air quality in children’s schools, despite known health risks posed by PCBs used in the building materials.
Refuse to perform the duties required by its mission, failing even to fulfill promised clean up of places on the EPA “National Priorities List” after 14 years and in some cases, actively fighting against its responsibilities while defending harmful policies that promote cancer, brain issues in children, and endocrine issues among other harms.
Delay taking action for decades on known harms, again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again.
Claim to be evidence-based (“one of the world’s leading environmental and human health research organizations”) when, in fact, it’s business as usual to deny acknowledging research with evidence of harm… again and again and again and again and again and again, while allowing shoddy, corrupt “research” designed to protect industry interests again and again, going so far as to rely on “models” that can be controlled with the result of obfuscating, denying and distracting from research that shows evidence of harm. The “regulatory” agencies have a history of relying on industry to inform them of research while the companies they are charged with regulation withhold information for decades and simply suppress evidence of harm until a whistleblower comes forth or the malfeasance is caught in some other way.
Approve and promote the use of toxic chemical compounds such as chlorine, aluminum sulfate and fluoride in water as “solutions” to health concerns, despite extensive research gathered over decades showing significant harm, with the research continuing to build and build and build and build and build and build, without taking any substantive action — even after being called out publicly by scientists, and 12 years later being petitioned yet again and then, finally, sued to do so.
Use the public’s money to defend their loyalty to industry over people and the planet. Please ponder the lunacy of the only recourse you have for the government’s routine betrayal of duty is to sue the organization you’ve already paid and entrusted in order to get them to do their job. Rather than just firing them and organizing to actually accomplish the task of stopping the harm, your only option in the existing system is to relegate years of time and untold sums of money in an effort to get them to do what they were hired to do — all the while people and the planet are being severely harmed. And then consider that to sue the EPA or industry requires resources almost no one who is being harmed by their betrayal has available to them. But it does happen. The pesticide “paraquat is currently banned in 32 countries, including member states of the European Union… and China. In July 2021 the EPA reapproved the pesticide’s registration for another 15 years.” [source] This is a pesticide so poisonous that it scars people’s lungs. Paraquat poisoning has no antidote. It causes severe harms to workers and people living nearby (including Parkinson’s disease, cancer, kidney failure, and liver failure). To fight this immensely egregious betrayal of humanity, a consumer group sued the EPA in 2021, but as of early 2025, the EPA had taken no action. In another case, a consumer group has sued the FDA over refusal to take action on known harms from ‘highly toxic phthalates in plastic food packaging.” In another example demonstrating the nonexistence of functioning safety protocols, a U.S. county has filed a lawsuit alleging that “for decades, the corporate makers and users of ‘forever chemicals’ used on carpet produced in Northwest Georgia have hidden the associated dangers, leading to a public health crisis.”
Betray people’s trust in the safety of consumer products and in food labeling, even neglecting to protect baby food and toddler foods, and allowing toxic foods in schools.
Protect corporate profiteering and malfeasance over the interests of people and independent farmers again and again and again and again and again, going so far as to pay witnesses (with the people’s money) to defend themselves against the people they’re charged with serving. Despite decades of harm from unleashing thousands of industrial chemicals on people and the planet, the EPA doubles down on its endless betrayal by “quietly fast-tracking” industry approval of known harms.
When some paltry “regulation” is actually performed, the focus is on single chemicals when the obvious reality is that children, adults, animals and soils are assaulted by dozens or hundreds of chemicals at any one time. Not only do the “regulators” ignore the incomprehensible quantities of toxins, so too, do they ignore the effects of mixing powerful chemicals, which produces different effects based on the combinations a person is exposed to, and is known to “magnify their toxic effects,” manifesting in childhood obesity among other damages.
Typically, Congresspeople are equally or more beholden to industry as the agencies, as seen by the reactions to a long-delayed EPA report on the “unreasonable risk” that formaldehyde poses to human health here. But the regulatory agencies are so dedicated to protecting industry for as long as they possibly can that even Congress will at times be found badgering them to take action on known harms. For example, “Even though asbestos is known to cause deadly diseases, the U.S. still allows companies to import hundreds of tons of the raw mineral. It is primarily used by two chemical manufacturers in the production of chlorine. The legislation called the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2023, would ban the import and use of all six types of asbestos fibers.” But Congress even talking about such subjects is rare and often just a form of theater where the only “action” is watered down legislation that continues to let industry profit and avoid justice while Congress takes a bow. When a rare action is taken, it doesn’t even make a dent in the problem of having thousands of chemicals and a corrupt “regulatory” system. Occasionally, the UN makes statements of harms from toxic chemical that the U.S. takes no action on, beholden as it is to corporate interests. Even so, agencies at all levels are corrupted by industry: “Revealed: WHO aspartame safety panel linked to alleged Coca-Cola front group.”
Keep the truth about harms from the public… until, finally, sued in court (protecting their dereliction of duty with taxpayer money)…. and, still, only conceding the truth when absolutely forced to do so. Allow and deliver propaganda that hides truth… no matter how heinous.
Gaslight the public on their irrefutable failure to honor their mission, such as limiting only 6 of 14,000 forever chemicals in the U.S. and just 1 to 10% of products containing hazardous substances in the U.K. while claiming to be the safest in the world and listing “accomplishments” that in fact mean nothing in light of the reality of wholesale corruption.
Retaliate against scientist employees who don’t promote industry-approved narratives. “The EPA scientists claimed that they were encouraged to delete information about chemicals’ risks or harms, including serious health issues such as cancers and neurological problems. In some cases, they said their managers deleted this information.”

Bird's Eye View

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