September Documentary Review
By Sue Petrofsky
Food dyes weave a complex tale into what we eat every day, with some natural dyes being fine to ingest, but increasingly scientists are not so sure about synthetic dyes, some of which have been in use for over 100 years. A good example is Red Dye #3, which was originally invented as a dye for wool and cloth in 1876. In 1906 it was legalized as a food additive, and since then it has been part of the food chain, wherever bright red color is desired, despite being made from petroleum (think the color of your transmission fluid) and linked in medical studies to cancer.
The Documentary “To Dye For” studies the links between synthetic dyes and child behavior, and the results are alarming, so much so, that California recently banned many synthetic dyes from the state’s school lunch programs. Unlike ADHD, where children exhibit consistent behaviors, children who have dye sensitivities are characterized by psychologists as “consistently inconsistent”, as their behavior may change depending on which dyes and how much of them, they might be ingesting as they eat various foods. The film follows several children and their parents’ journey in determining what the cause of their children’s changed behavior might be. Many of the children involved become increasingly irritable and violent towards their siblings as they move from baby stage towards kindergarten age. The filmmaker’s own child was the impetus for the creation of the documentary, as they wondered how many other children might have the same issue. Amazingly, the dyes do not affect all children in a family, and changing the affected child’s diet to eliminate the dyes resulted in behavior improvement in almost all cases.
“To Dye For” is an interesting watch for almost anyone, as not only are these dyes known to affect behavior, but most are also carcinogenic compounds linked to cancer. The filmmakers also maintain a website linking brands and dyes, and good alternative food products and brands that are healthy options. Check it out at the library, Documentary #293.
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