BAVINA SOOKDEO
In the rush to get through busy days, many people prioritise convenience. Clever marketing and vibrant, eye-catching foods make it easy to grab products without considering how they’re made. But those quick decisions can come at a cost to your health.
Food product developer and nutritionist Shendell Paltoo, 31, shared his experience with synthetic colourants/dyes hidden in everyday foods – ingredients that may pose serious health risks.
Artificial food dyes are synthetic chemicals derived from petroleum and are used to enhance the colour of processed foods. Paltoo said, “The vibrant colours of synthetic food dyes found in everything, from ice cream, popsicles and soft drinks to processed meats, cereals and baked goods, mask a significant health concern.” Despite these risks, Paltoo highlights that many countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, have less stringent regulations regarding food dyes compared to regions like the European Union, Japan or Australia which have implemented restrictions or bans.
[caption id="attachment_1151936" align="aligncenter" width="377"] Shendell Paltoo, food product developer and nutritionist. -[/caption]
Paltoo, 31, has a BSc in family and consumer science from the University of the Southern Caribbean and is a final-year master’s student in value addition food and nutrition security at The UWI. With over seven years as a nutritionist in both public and private sectors, he has interned at CARIRI to deepen his expertise in product development. Certified in good manufacturing practices, he is currently being mentored by Dr Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, one of America’s top 100 most influential Hispanics and a leading businesswoman. He is also the co-founder of MS Foods, a company that is geared towards providing healthy, preservative free, locally-made, sustainable products.
His interest in food dye toxicity began in 2014 with a children’s initiative focused on creating healthy, tasty meals. It deepened in 2022 when his wife faced severe health issues, including chronic hives, brittle nails, muscle weakness and heavy menstrual periods. Despite extensive medical testing, she was misdiagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer which turned out to be chronic idiopathic urticaria, a condition characterised by itchy hives that persist for six weeks or longer, with no known cause. This pushed him to research processed foods, realising how additives and dyes prioritise appearance over nutrition.
In January, the US banned the use of seven dyes and two preservatives – red dyes No 3 and No 40; yellow dyes No 5 and No 6; blue dyes No 1 and No 2; green dye No 3, butylated hydroxyanisole (a synthetic antioxidant and preservative, commonly used in food, cosmetics, and other products to prevent fats from turning rancid) and propylparaben (a preservative commonly used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food).
“Due to harmful effects seen in animal studies or a lack of adequate testing, numerous dyes are now banned,” Paltoo said.
"TT and other Caribbean countries lack its
