American products use food dyes, while UK equivalents go all-natural

FROM CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM

While British consumers enjoy products made by General Mills, Kellogg, Kraft and McDonald’s that are free of synthetic food dyes, American customers lack such royal treatment, according to the October issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter.

Despite evidence linking food dyes to hyperactivity and other behavior problems in children, companies continue to use the controversial dyes in American product lines. But interestingly enough, they substitute natural colorings in the United Kingdom.

In the U.K., Fanta orange soft drink gets its bright color from pumpkin and carrot extract, but in the U.S. it comes from Red 40 and Yellow 6. Starburst Chews and Skittles, which are both Mars products, also contain synthetic food dyes in the U.S. but not in the U.K. Similarly, in the U.S., McDonald’s strawberry sundaes are colored with Red 40 but –amazing as it might sound –real strawberries in the U.K.

FOR THE COMPLETE STORY:         http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/10/cspi_food_dye02.html  

~Sandy G.

But many say money is no replacement for loss of beloved animals

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

Pet owners whose dogs or cats became ill or died last year after eating melamine-tainted food are now eligible for a piece of a landmark $24 million settlement. But some pet owners say no amount of money can replace the loss of their best friend.

“She was my constant companion and quite a character,” Vicki W. of Sedona, Arizona, said of her cat, which died last year after eating contaminated pet food. “My husband and I miss her greatly.”

U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman on Tuesday gave final approval to the settlement, which resolves more than 100 class action lawsuits filed in U.S. and Canadian Courts in the wake of last year’s massive pet food recall.

FOR THE COMPLETE STORY:    http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/10/pet_food_settlement.html

~Sandy G.

FROM CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM

Halloween costuming may be harmful if improperly used

Every year, the approach of Halloween heightens concerns at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that consumers will harm their eyes with unapproved decorative contact lenses.

These are lenses that some people use to temporarily change their eye color or to make their eyes look weird — perhaps giving them an “eye-of-the-tiger” look.

“Although unauthorized use of decorative contact lenses is a concern year-round, Halloween is the time when people may be inclined to use them, perhaps as costume accessories,” says James Saviola, the Ophthalmic and Ear, Nose and Throat Devices Network Leader in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

The problem is not that people use decorative, non-corrective lenses. It’s that many go about it the wrong way, which is dangerous.

FOR THE COMPLETE STORY:     http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/10/halloween_contacts.html 

~Sandy G.

By BRAD STONE
New York Times

The Federal Trade Commission won a preliminary legal victory against what it called one of the largest spam gangs on the Internet, persuading a federal court in Chicago on Tuesday to freeze the group’s assets and order the spam network to shut down.

The group, which used several names but was known among spam-fighting organizations as HerbalKing, sent billions of unsolicited messages to Internet users over the last 20 months, promoting replica watches and a variety of pharmaceuticals, including weight-loss drugs and herbal pills that supposedly enhanced the male anatomy, according to the commission.

“This is pretty major. At one point these guys delivered up to one-third of all spam,” said Richard Cox, chief information officer at SpamHaus, a nonprofit antispam research group.

FOR THE COMPLETE STORY:      http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/technology/internet/15spam.html?th&emc=th  

~Sandy G.

Three others reported seriously ill in China

FROM CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM

China has banned the sale and use of a popular brand of Siberian ginseng after the deaths of three people who had received injections of the herbal drug. At least three others are reported seriously ill.

The latest crisis comes as China tries to deal with the tainted milk scandal that has caused worldwide concern.

The banned ginseng was made by Wandashan Pharmaceutical, a company based in northeastern China. Chinese authorities said they had found two harmful batches of the medicine and were continuing to investigate.

It’s not known whether Wandashan markets its products outside of China.

FOR THE COMPLETE STORY:    http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/10/ginseng.html  

~Sandy G.