As Burger King proudly presents their 'angriest' red-dyed burger, consumers should consider the health risks of artificial food dye

Monday, April 18, 2016 by: J. D. Heyes
Tags: Burger King, Angriest Whopper, food dyes

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(NaturalNews) Fast-food franchise Burger King has introduced a massive sandwich it is calling "The Angriest Whopper."

The sandwich features all the normal burger fixings – lettuce, cheese, sauces, pickles, onions, etc. – but its marketing focuses on its brilliant red-dyed bun, which, according to published sources, is infused with hot sauce. According to marketing news site Advertising Age:

"The new Angriest Whopper has a red bun with hot sauce baked into it and is topped with 'flaming onion petals, spicy angry sauce and jalapenos,' as well as bacon, American cheese, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise."

The Angriest Whopper follows two other theme-centric burgers: the Angry Whopper, which derived its "heat" not from a dyed, hot sauced bun, but from ingredients including "angry" onions and sauce, jalapenos, and pepper jack cheese; and last fall's A.1. Halloween Whopper, which featured a black-dyed bun.

FDA failing to protect consumers?

Many consumers likely believe that these dyed-bun burgers are all fun and games, but they would be singing a different tune if they understood the health risks associated with them. As reported by Food Safety News, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) recently published an extensive report titled, "Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks" [here], which provides comprehensive details regarding the risks of nine dyes that are widely used in some of the most common foods. Researchers also noted that common food dyes are known to increase risks of cancer, hyperactivity in children and allergies.

Food Safety News reported further:

"The food industry dumps over 15 million pounds of the dyes studied into the food supply each year. Three of the dyes carry known carcinogens, and 4 can cause serious allergic reactions in some consumers. New studies show that seven of them contributed to cancer in lab animals, including brain and testicular tumors, colon cancer, and mutations."

"These synthetic chemicals do absolutely nothing to improve the nutritional quality or safety of foods, but trigger behavior problems in children and, possibly, cancer in anybody," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson, as quoted by the site.

James Huff, an associate at the National Toxicology Program added, "Some dyes have caused cancers in animals, contain cancer-causing contaminants, or have been inadequately tested for cancer or other problems. Their continued use presents unnecessary risks to humans, especially young children. It's disappointing that the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] has not addressed the toxic threat posed by food dyes."

CSPI said that it mailed a letter to the Food and Drug Administration upon releasing its report, outlining a request to ban all food dyes in the United States, in an effort to protect Americans from health problems.

The EU has already responded – but not the U.S.

Also, the group said that the FDA was failing to protect the public in the following ways:

–Red 3 and Citrus Red 2 should be banned under the Delaney amendment, because they caused cancer in rats (some uses were banned in 1990), as should Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, which are tainted with cancer-causing contaminants.

–Evidence suggests, though does not prove, that Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40 and Yellow 6 cause cancer in animals. There is certainly not 'convincing evidence' of safety.

–Dyed foods should be considered adulterated under the law, because the dyes make a food 'appear better or of greater value than it is'–typically by masking the absence of fruit, vegetable or other more costly ingredient.

And, the group accused the FDA of being aware of the health risks created by the presence of the dyes, but failing to protect consumers.

CSPI said that British lawmakers have responded to the health data regarding food dyes, and required food companies to start phasing them out from January of this year. In addition, officials with the European Union are requiring companies to place warning labels on all dyed foods, effective July 20.

Sources:

AdAge.com

FoodSafetyNews.com

CSPINet.org^[PDF]

Blogs.NaturalNews.com

Science.NaturalNews.com