Experts are sounding the alarm over the skyrocketing number of chemicals being added to American food over the past few decades, including some with links to cancer. There are now hundreds, if not thousands, of substances added to our foods for which the true safety data are unknown to independent scientists, the government and the public. It has been shown that major manufacturers in the U.S. sell slightly different products overseas to comply with stricter regulations there, but the domestic versions are laden with additives, chemicals, and other potentially harmful compounds. Take, for example, Cool Ranch Doritos. The U.S. version is loaded with artificial dyes — including Red 40, Blue 1, and Yellow 5 — whereas the version sold in the UK uses paprika extract and annatto. Absent regulatory pressure from the federal government, food companies have little incentive to change their formulas, which would mean using more expensive components that translate into higher prices for consumers. “Additives are cheap, and consumers in the U.S. tend to prioritize convenience and cost over ingredient quality, so manufacturers don’t have as much pressure to reformulate as they might in the EU,” said Sarah Bond, a food scientist and nutritionist. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has been outspoken about his Make American Healthy Again blueprint, which would include cracking down on major food manufacturers that regularly use ingredients that scientific evidence has suggested are harmful.
