Artificial coloring in food products not only makes your raspberry yogurt redder and your mac and cheese glow in the dark, but may be causing behavioral problems and disrupting children's attention according to a growing number of scientific studies.

Canada and several European countries have already found that Rd 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 are likely human carcinogens. In 1960 Red 3 was linked to cancer and was banned by the FDA in cosmetics but allowed to remain in maraschino cherries.

In 2004 the British government funded studies that found that artificial food dyes in combination with a common preservative made children with no known behavioral problems hyperactive and inattentive. Health officials in Great Britain have urged manufacturers to stop using 6 forms of artificial food coloring and the European Parliament has now required a "black box warning label" that the dyes "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention of children". An FDA advisory committee will shortly begin a review of research on the behavioral effects of artificial dyes.