Eva Mendes has demanded the removal of ‘harmful’ food colorings in popular children’s cereals.
The 50-year-old actress went to Instagram last week to warn about artificial colors in Kellogg’s breakfast cereals like Froot Loops.
Dyes such as red 40 and yellow 5 have been banned in several European countries due to their links to hyperactivity and cancer, but persist in American versions.
The brand promised nearly a decade ago to remove artificial colors and ingredients from all its grains by 2018, but has yet to deliver on that promise.
Mendes called on Kellogg’s to remove these dyes and urged her 6.6 million followers to join a “peaceful march to Kellogg’s headquarters.”
That protest took place Tuesday outside the cereal giant’s headquarters in Michigan, where dozens of activists delivered a petition with nearly 400,000 signatures.
Actress Eva Mendes took to Instagram last week to call on Kellogg’s to remove “harmful” food dyes and additives from its breakfast cereals
Froot Loops in the US contain Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6 and BHT, which have been linked to hyperactivity in children, thyroid problems and cancer
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Mendes wrote on Instagram: “I grew up eating grains. I still love it, but I won’t eat @kelloggsus anymore after I found out that so many of the ingredients they use here in the US are BANNED in other countries.
‘Why? Because they are harmful to children.’
Mendes compared Froot Loops nutrition labels in the US and Canada.
The US variant contains red 40, yellow 5, blue 1, yellow 6 and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), which have been linked to health problems in children.
Canadian Froot Loops replaced these dyes with concentrated blueberry, carrot and watermelon juices.
In a statement, Kellogg’s said: “Our products – and the ingredients we use to make them – comply with all applicable relevant laws and regulations.”
‘We remain committed to transparent labeling of our ingredients so that consumers can easily make choices about the food they buy.’
The company also claims that 85 percent of its cereals contain no colorants from artificial sources.
Mendes shared the above comparison of Froot Loops in the US vs. Canada
California has banned six food additives, while states such as New York and Illinois have introduced similar legislation
Red 40, yellow 5 and 6 and blue 1 are dyes used to give grains and other processed foods their bright colors.
They are theorized to worsen attention problems in children, leading to EU regulators requiring product manufacturers to say that dyes “may have a negative effect on activity and attention in children.”
A Report 2021 from California’s Environmental Protection Agency also linked artificial colorings to “hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems” in some children, especially those with ADHD or other existing behavioral disorders.
Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 also contain benzidene, a carcinogenic substance for humans and animals that is permitted in low concentrations.
According to the FDA, ingesting free benzidine increases the risk of cancer to just below the “concern” threshold, or one cancer in 1 million people.
BHT, meanwhile, is an additive used to keep food fresh. It can also be found in beauty products such as lip glosses and lotions, as well as in chewing gum.
The research on BHT is mixed, although some studies have suggested that long-term exposure causes liver and thyroid problems in mice by disrupting hormones.
Several states have taken steps to ban or restrict these additives. Earlier this year, California became the first state to ban schools from serving food containing Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 6 and Green 3.
In March, New York state officials called for the removal of Red Dye No. 3, propylparaben, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide and BHA.