No. 545 Health Canada’s non-application of the precautionary principle to synthetic petroleum-based food dyes

The petition raises concerns about Health Canada’s commitment to the precautionary principle. According to the petition, the department currently permits the unrestricted use of petroleum-derived chemical additives and food dyes, which the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has linked to neuro-behavioural disruptions and the exacerbation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in sensitive children. The petition notes that the department’s claim that “scientific evidence has not demonstrated a causal effect” sufficient to warrant a phase-out or mandatory warning labels is inconsistent with the precautionary principle. The petition asserts that this stance deviates from that of international peers like the European Union, which requires warning labels. The petition asks how Health Canada can justify not exercising the precautionary principle with respect to the restriction of synthetic food dyes and seeks clarification on the risk thresholds that must be met to trigger this principle. The petition asks whether Health Canada has conducted a formal systematic review of the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s neurotoxicity findings and whether the department will reevaluate its acceptable daily intake limits to account for changes in neuro-behavioural trends in children.