Nature Made advertises "Safely Made. Purely Made." However, many of their vitamins contain artificial colors. For example: Nature Made Prenatal Multi + DHA Softgels contain Red 40, Yellow 6, & Blue 1! Is that safe to a developing baby?

Being the #1 selling vitamin company in the U.S. they should be setting an example and living up to that which they advertise.

Granted many food colorings just haven’t been tested enough to determine the long-term dangers. As for the dyes that have been tested, some studies have come back inconclusive — but some have shown links to certain types of cancers.

Other studies — more than 30 years’ worth of research, according to The Center for Science in the Public Interest — link food colorings to hyperactivity and behavior problems in children. The Center wants the FDA to ban certain dyes that they say cause these issues. Their petition includes two of the most common, Yellow 5 and Red 40, as well as Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3 and Yellow 6.

Internationally, the U.S. is behind other countries on its artificial dye policies. The U.K.’s Food Standards Agency has imposed a voluntary ban on several of these dyes because of their potential harm. And the European Parliament agreed to place warning labels on all European-produced foods containing one of six artificial colorings. One U.S. state has considered similar bans, but so far all measures have been rejected, thus far.

Here are more “highlights” of some research findings on the main colors being used in the food industry today.

* Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue)

An unpublished study suggested the possibility that Blue 1 caused kidney tumors in mice. What it's in: Baked goods, beverages, desert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products.

* Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine)

Causes a statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. What it's in: Colored beverages, candies, pet food, & other food and drugs.

* Citrus Red #2

It's toxic to rodents at modest levels and caused tumors of the urinary bladder and possibly other organs. What it's in: Skins of Florida oranges.

* Green #3 (Fast Green)

Caused significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats. What it's in: Drugs, personal care products, cosmetic products except in eye area, candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet; ingested drugs, lipsticks, and externally applied cosmetics.

* Red #3 (Erythrosine)

Recognized in 1990 by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals and is banned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. What it's in: Sausage casings, oral medication, maraschino cherries, baked goods, candies.

* Red #40 (Allura Red)

This is the most-widely used and consumed dye. It may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice. It also causes hypersensitivity (allergy-like) reactions in some consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children. What it's in: Beverages, bakery goods, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, drugs, and cosmetics.

* Yellow #5 (Tartrazine)

Yellow 5 causes sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions and might trigger hyperactivity and other behavioral effects in children. What it's in: Pet foods, numerous bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, gelatin desserts, and many other foods, as well as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

* Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)

Caused adrenal tumors in animals and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions. What it's in: Color bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin deserts, sausage, cosmetics and drugs.

Bottom Line: A small number of studies might not create fact, but why risk it?

Please do the right thing for your consumers Nature Made, and remove all artificial colors from your vitamin products.