Latest news with #WhitneyCawood
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
FDA makes moves to phase out synthetic food dyes
Your food may soon be safer, with the FDA going after chemical dyes. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A scientist told Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Sophia Choi that this plan is more talk than teeth. It's a voluntary recall, meaning the government is relying on companies to phase them out with no real oversight or regulation. Chemical dyes, made from crude, are in a lot of foods - especially those targeted to kids. Thomas Galligan with the Center for Science in the Public Interest says those dyes add bright colors but no nutritional value. 'They used these dyes to sell food,' Galligan said. 'If you see vibrant colors, you might be more inclined to buy it.' It's a marketing tool that could pose a danger. This Georgia couple says synthetic dyes changed their son's behavior. 'He had lots of fits and hitting and biting and tantrums,' Whitney Cawood said. They changed his diet and made a documentary to warn others. 'We did an elimination diet, and we determined that synthetic dyes were causing 98% of his issues,' Whitney Cawood said. 'It was kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,' Brandon Cawood said. The FDA could ban chemical dyes outright but instead announced Tuesday it is establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition to natural alternatives. It plans to revoke two synthetic food colorings citrus red No. 2 and orange B, within the coming months while authorizing four new natural color additives in the coming weeks. It wants companies to remove red dye 3 sooner than the 2027-2028 deadline, and it's asking the industry to voluntarily remove six remaining synthetic dyes still in use by the end of next year. 'It's a lot of talk,' Galligan said. 'It's a lot of rhetoric, not a whole lot of action. In Europe, leaders already took some steps, requiring a warning label on foods that contain chemical dyes. Some states in the U.S. are now starting to limit or ban them too, but not here in Georgia. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Are Americans following MAHA push to eliminate synthetic food dyes?
(NewsNation) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s push to crack down on synthetic food dyes in school lunches is resonating with parents who say they have seen the negative effects firsthand. Brandon and Whitney Cawood set out to examine the research on synthetic dyes in a new documentary, 'To Dye For,' after seeing their own son's disturbing reaction. 'We kind of had this Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde thing going on, where he was really struggling with aggression and just emotions and anger,' Brandon Cawood told NewsNation. Whitney Cawood said their son's behavior changed once they eliminated synthetic dyes. Texas investigating cereal giant Kellogg over food dye use 'Within 48 hours, that child that we had on those good days, we had that child for 30 days straight,' she said. 'When I started to dig in, there was a lot of research.' The couple felt so strongly that they became first-time filmmakers to help others learn about the potentially harmful food additives. Some people interviewed for the documentary think synthetic dyes can even increase suicidal thoughts. 'When you're on dyes, [thoughts] get loud. They get to be like, 'Hey, are you sure you want to be alive right now?' Alexander Bevans, a student at Western Nevada College, said in the film trailer. West Virginia becomes first to ban artificial food dyes Testimony like that is one of the reasons Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is touring the country to 'Make America Healthy Again,' calling for major changes to the food we eat. Kennedy was in Arizona on Tuesday, where officials are trying to cut ultraprocessed food ingredients out of school lunches. But how much are Americans paying attention to the national conversation about chemical dyes and ultraprocessed foods? NewsNation spoke to several people in Miami, Florida, who had different views. 'I would really appreciate it if the U.S. government cared more about what was in our food,' said Amanda Lewan. Another man, Nick Jackson, called food dyes 'poison.' Someone else, who didn't want to be named, didn't think the government should have control over people's diets. Last month, West Virginia became the first state to pass a sweeping ban on artificial food dyes, and lawmakers in more than 20 states are pushing to restrict access to dyes to some degree. As for the Cawoods, they're excited the topic has grown into a broader national conversation. 'Both Republicans and Democrats are getting behind it, and I think that's a beautiful thing,' Whitney Cawood said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Georgia couple leads way to ban synthetic dyes in food
A Georgia couple's testimony helped pass the first state ban on synthetic chemicals in food. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The dyes come from crude oil and has been tied to behavioral issues in some children. Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Sophia Choi said family is on a mission to get the word out about food dyes and how they affect people, especially kids. 'I urge you to prioritize children and their future over industry and convenience,' Whitney Cawood said in testimony to West Virginia lawmakers. That testimony helped pass the first ban on synthetic chemicals in food. They made a documentary about their own experience and how science backs up what they suspected. Atreyu Cawood, 6 years old, is calm as he plays with his sister, 4-year-old Aslyn. It is a total 180 from how he acted while eating foods with synthetic dyes over three years ago. 'He had lots of fits and hitting and biting and tantrums,' said Atreyu's mother Whitney Cawood. TRENDING STORIES: Severe weather threat increasing for late Saturday, Sunday morning across north Georgia GA church daycare employee accused of giving Benadryl to toddlers to make them go to sleep Atlanta police confirm arrest of man accused of slashing homeless tents The Cawoods went to all sorts of doctors with no real improvements. Then they decided to look at his diet. 'We did an elimination diet, and we determined that synthetic dyes were causing 98% of his issues,' said Whitney Cawood. Research shows synthetic dyes can cause behavioral issues including hyperactivity and aggression in some children. 'It was kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,' said Atreyu's father Brandon Cawood. The FDA took a big step just this year, banning cancer-linked red dye 3 in food. The Cawoods hope to get them all banned in all states, including Georgia. The International Association of Color Manufacturers sent Channel 2 Action News this statement: 'Colors are safely used as ingredients in consumer products, are among the most widely studied food ingredients, and are subject to strict global regulatory requirements. Color additives play an important role in food, and they do so without posing a health risk to children. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and international regulatory bodies have all concluded that food colors are safe for children and no study has offered compelling evidence that these colors cause adverse behaviors.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
