I’m sorry if anyone’s already started a thread on this. I had a quick look and couldn’t find one…

SO as I’m sure the majority of you have seen in this article, or a similar one elsewhere, some bees in France a few years ago produced some unusually coloured honey.
It was found that this was caused by the bees consuming M&M shells that were awaiting processing at a biogas manufacturing plant.

I have read many comments on said articles saying things like ‘poor bees!’ … but I don’t really know why one would say something like that.
Clearly the bees weren’t adversely affected by eating the M&M shells, they are primarily glucose, no?

I made a comment along those lines on one of the posts I saw, and received the following reply:

“Most of the food colourings (esp yellow, red, blue) used have detrimental effects on the human brain cell, so I can’t imagine it would be good for the nervous system of the bee. But I’m no bee expert.”

Which sounds like a lot of ‘woo’ to me. I asked for references, but wasn’t supplied with any!

“Most of the food colourings (esp yellow, red, blue) used have detrimental effects on the human brain cell,”

Obv, colourings with a detrimental effect on human brain cells would not be on the market in countries such as Aust with good product safety regulation.

dv said:

“Most of the food colourings (esp yellow, red, blue) used have detrimental effects on the human brain cell,”

Obv, colourings with a detrimental effect on human brain cells would not be on the market in countries such as Aust with good product safety regulation.

That was my thought.
But didn’t you know that the gummint can’t be trusted?!

fresnel_chick said:

dv said:

“Most of the food colourings (esp yellow, red, blue) used have detrimental effects on the human brain cell,”

Obv, colourings with a detrimental effect on human brain cells would not be on the market in countries such as Aust with good product safety regulation.

That was my thought.
But didn’t you know that the gummint can’t be trusted?!

(shrugs)

Basically, ask them to name a specific food dye that is on the market in Australia and that damages brain cells, then ask them to provide peer reviewed papers showing that dye damages brain cells. If they don’t, tell them you win and that they should STFU.

dv said:

Basically, ask them to name a specific food dye that is on the market in Australia and that damages brain cells, then ask them to provide peer reviewed papers showing that dye damages brain cells. If they don’t, tell them you win and that they should STFU.

Well, there are studies that “suggest a link” between certain food dyes and hyperactivity in children, and some were banned in some Euro countries, until the EU un banned them.

pommiejohn said:

dv said:

Basically, ask them to name a specific food dye that is on the market in Australia and that damages brain cells, then ask them to provide peer reviewed papers showing that dye damages brain cells. If they don’t, tell them you win and that they should STFU.

Well, there are studies that “suggest a link” between certain food dyes and hyperactivity in children, and some were banned in some Euro countries, until the EU un banned them.

Can you provide an example? Nordic countries had some blanket bans that were not evidence based that were lifted because of the EU. I was aware of a link between Na benzoate and hyperactivity but not any particular dye.

Well I’ll relent a bit, food.gov.uk mentioned several artificial colours that when mixed with Na benzoate could be linked to hyperactivity:

http://www.food.gov.uk/science/additives/foodcolours/#.U4RVYvFKdhE

Research funded by the FSA has suggested that consumption of mixes of certain artificial food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate could be linked to increased hyperactivity in some children.

It is important to remember that hyperactivity is also associated with many other factors in addition to certain additives, so dietary advice may help manage hyperactive behaviour but may not be the total solution. Other factors include premature birth, genetics and upbringing.

The artificial colours are:

sunset yellow FCF (E110) quinoline yellow (E104) carmoisine (E122) allura red (E129) tartrazine (E102) ponceau 4R (E124)

dv said:

Well I’ll relent a bit, food.gov.uk mentioned several artificial colours that when mixed with Na benzoate could be linked to hyperactivity:

http://www.food.gov.uk/science/additives/foodcolours/#.U4RVYvFKdhE

Research funded by the FSA has suggested that consumption of mixes of certain artificial food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate could be linked to increased hyperactivity in some children.

It is important to remember that hyperactivity is also associated with many other factors in addition to certain additives, so dietary advice may help manage hyperactive behaviour but may not be the total solution. Other factors include premature birth, genetics and upbringing.

The artificial colours are:

sunset yellow FCF (E110) quinoline yellow (E104) carmoisine (E122) allura red (E129) tartrazine (E102) ponceau 4R (E124)

For when busy as a bee is not fast enough.

PermeateFree said:

dv said:

Well I’ll relent a bit, food.gov.uk mentioned several artificial colours that when mixed with Na benzoate could be linked to hyperactivity:

http://www.food.gov.uk/science/additives/foodcolours/#.U4RVYvFKdhE

Research funded by the FSA has suggested that consumption of mixes of certain artificial food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate could be linked to increased hyperactivity in some children.

It is important to remember that hyperactivity is also associated with many other factors in addition to certain additives, so dietary advice may help manage hyperactive behaviour but may not be the total solution. Other factors include premature birth, genetics and upbringing.

The artificial colours are:

sunset yellow FCF (E110) quinoline yellow (E104) carmoisine (E122) allura red (E129) tartrazine (E102) ponceau 4R (E124)

For when busy as a bee is not fast enough.

Bahahaha!