New studies released recently both in the US and abroad are really starting to underline to degree to which the FDA has dropped the ball regarding health policy, and having any sort of real vested interest in the health of our country.  Major food manufacturers like Kraft, Wal-Mart, Mars Candy, and Coca-Cola are continued to be given the green light by the FDA to use toxic food colors, dyes, preservatives, and other carcinogenic ingredients in the everyday foods consumed by the majority of our country, while these same ingredients are banned from foods all over Europe.  Why is the FDA so blatantly ignoring research like the Southampton Study and studies done at the Center for Science in the Public Interest that draw clear parallels between ubiquitous food additives and cancer, childhood disorders like ADHD and autism, and serious food allergies?
In short, because they don’t have to.  The public pressure in the United States to change food policy is still so limited compared to other parts of the world that the FDA can afford to stay in the pocket of industrial agriculture and make claims that the levels of toxic chemicals in our food is “within acceptably safe limits” and that “more research is needed” to determine the dangers of these additives.  Really guys?
Public and governmental pressure in Europe has caused American companies to remove artificial colors and many toxic additives from the overseas versions of their products, but here under the watchful eye of the FDA, we are still feeding our children (and selves) toxic carcinogens.  Look at a comparison of the ingredients in the American and U.K. versions of Kraft Mac and Cheese:

• U.S. Version of Kraft Mac & Cheese:  Enriched Macaroni Product (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate [Iron], Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Cheese Sauce Mix (Whey, Modified Food Starch, Whey Protein Concentrate, Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Contains Less Than 2% of Parmesan Cheese [Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Dried Buttermilk, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Blue Cheese [Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Sodium Phosphate, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Cream, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Enzymes, Yellow 5, Yellow 6).

• U.K. Version of Kraft Mac & Cheese:  Macaroni (Durum Wheat Semolina), Cheese (10%), Whey Powder (from milk), Lactose, Salt, Emulsifying Salts (E339, E341), Colours (Paprika Extract, Beta-Carotene)

Kind of appalling, isn’t it?  We need to follow in Europe’s footsteps and put enough pressure on the FDA and our food manufacturers to show that Americans are, in fact, just as smart and savvy as our friends across the pond, and that are lives and health are worth just as much.  As a start, you can sign this petition from Healthy Child Healthy World to get Kraft to implement the same changes here in the States..

[From my feed on One Minute News]