Now, here is an astonishing article: CSPI Urges FDA to Ban Artificial Food Dyes Linked to Behavior Problems.

The petition:
"CSPI's petition asks the FDA to require a warning label on foods with artificial dyes while it mulls CSPI's request to ban the dyes outright. CSPI also wants the FDA to correct the information it presents to parents on its web site about the impact of artificial food dyes on behavior. Joining CSPI's call are 19 prominent psychiatrists, toxicologists, and pediatricians who today co-signed letter urging members of Congress to hold hearings on artificial food dyes and behavior, and to fund an Institute of Medicine research project on the issue."

Here are a few lines that are particularly interesting:

"...in Britain, the color in McDonald's strawberry sauce for sundaes actually comes from strawberries; in the U.S. it comes from Red 40."

"the color of fruits or vegetables. Kraft's Guacamole Dip gets its greenish color not from avocados (there are almost none) but from Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1. The blue bits in Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles are blue thanks to Red 40 and Blue 2, not real blueberries."

"Everything sold at the Whole Foods and Trader Joe's supermarket chains is free of the controversial chemicals."
[...I'm beginning to think the price to shop at Trader Joe's & Whole Foods is worth it.]

I'm not sure about the research on this topic, and will be curious as this issue is discussed further as to the exact effects of these colorings on children's behavior. The less-than-convincing conclusions of the studies referred to by CSPI are:

"There is a general adverse effect of artificial food colouring and benzoate preservatives on the behaviour of 3 year old children which is detectable by parents but not by a simple clinic assessment."

We'll see... but I'm thinking maybe I'll lay off the multicolored Sour Patch gummi bears... between the corn syrup and artificial coloring, they can't be good for you :)