No and I think it would be hard to pinpoint food dye as the cause of a reaction since whatever you consume with dye also has other ingredients.

Years ago, an Rx I had taken for years changed to generic, and the colors of the capsule changed. I developed a rash, and it took the dermatologist ages to determine that it was the red dye.

. I think it would be hard to pinpoint food dye as the cause of a reaction since whatever you consume with dye also has other ingredients.

Excellent point. But it is something in the grape mix and not in the other mixes, so I think it was a wise move to stop drinking the grape mix.

When DD was in grammar school, she would have periodic episodes of hives. We narrowed it down to what she was eating on those days - Mountain Dew and Funyums. 🙄 They are both full of Yellow #5. When she stopped eating things with Yellow #5, the hives went away.

Yellow #5 and Red #4 are common allergens. IIRC, her MIL is allergic to both.

LOL, Mountain Dew and Funyums!

AFAIK I don't have a sensitivity to food dyes. Everything has some dyes/chemicals unless you never buy anything in a grocery store but I don't buy the things that I think of as being the worst culprits like colorful candies, cereals and such.

My brother developed severe shoulder pain years ago and no doctors were unable to pinpoint the cause. Someone recommended he stop drinking diet Coke and the pain went away. His doctor told him that was not the cause and after a long time he went back to drinking it. The pain returned. He's convinced it's the aspartame. No more diet Coke and no more pain.

I recently ordered a lemonade sweetened with stevia just to try it. Lemonade sounded good but I didn't want the sugar, so worth a try? Never again. I'd never heard that stomach upset was a common adverse reaction (check) or that people with ragweed allergies could be allergic to stevia as well (check). It can also impact your blood pressure (check again).

I know I get headaches from a specific white grape soda or sparkling water drink. 🤷‍♀️

Took awhile to figure it out. No other flavors in that line cause problems.

I know it seems like it should be difficult to pin point dye reactions but somehow our bodies tell us.

I try to eat the bulk of my foods in as natural state as possible. Not entirely difficult, DH does not and never has eaten fast foods. He will eat some frozen entrees from Trader Joe's and I'm sure those have at least some coloring in some of the sauces but we at least try to keep those things at a minimum. Very seldom snack type crackers, candies, and if a soft drink we will both reach for a ginger ale. Not that I read all labels in great depth - most of the time it takes the map reader I keep in my kitchen to even make out the print. So tiny!

I know it seems like it should be difficult to pin point dye reactions but somehow our bodies tell us.

My body kept pretty quiet when I used to eat M&Ms and those are vividly dyed. I do think some people have reactions to certain dyes, but others don't appear to suffer at all. I think the whole dye thing is complex, but I'm glad they are looking into it for the sake of adults and children who do appear to react to them.

3Katz, above, correctly pointed out that just because I feel ill after drinking this particular grape drink mix does not necessarily mean the dye is the culprit, there are other ingredients.

@lucille - definitely wise to get rid of the purple stuff if it doesn’t agree with you. I’ve just never forgotten what I learned in my epidemiology course - association does not equal causation. And certainly no harm in avoiding artificially colored food and beverages even if you have no reaction.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy.