Food dyes and microplastics: What to check for at the grocery store
Researchers at UCLA analyzed the contents of chewing gum and found on average, one gram of gum releases about 100 microplastics.
Nutritionists say it can be hard for people to determine what products are using food dyes and those that are naturally colored.
Kraft Heinz recently announced it will stop selling products containing any artificial colors by 2027. The company says 90% of their products are free of artificial food dyes. This includes Kraft Mac & Cheese, which gets its yellow color from paprika and turmeric. A company spokesperson says the popular dish has not contained any artificial coloring since 2016.
General Mills and Nestle have also announced they will phase out all food dyes.
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Along with dyes and preservatives, people should also be aware of microplastics in food. Researchers at UCLA analyzed the contents of chewing gum and found on average, one gram of gum releases about 100 microplastics.
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"They don't just go through the body harmlessly. They actually accumulate in the organs, bloodstream and causing inflammation and it's also disturbing hormones," says Azadeh Gharehgozlou, an integrative nutritionist.
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They recommend people investigative ingredient lists and see if any artificial food dyes such as Yellow No. 6, Yellow No. 5 and Blue No.1 are listed.
