11 April, 2008 – The UK Food Standards Agency yesterday told the Government that food and drinks manufacturers should voluntarily remove a range of food colourings over concerns about their effects on the behaviour of children.
Ministers were advised that the voluntary measure to phase out six colourants should take place by 2009.
The FSA also recommended at its board meeting there should be action to phase them out in food and drinks across the European Union.
The advice was issued in light of research published by a team at Southampton University and the subsequent review carried out by the European Food Safety Authority. (EFSA).
The colours at the centre of the recommendations are Sunset yellow (E110), Quinoline yellow (E104), Carmoisine (E122) , Allura red (E129) , Tartrazine (E102) and Ponceau 4R (E124). Research published last year by the Southampton team showed inclusion of these colours in food and drinks increases hyperactive behaviour in children.
Dame Deirdre Hutton, FSA Chair, said: 'It is the Agency's duty to put consumers first. These additives give colour to foods but nothing else. It would therefore be sensible, in the light of the findings of the Southampton Study, to remove them from food and drink products. UK industry has already taken great strides to remove these colours from food; this decision builds on the work already done and will encourage industry to continue down this path.'
FSA Chief Scientist Andrew Wadge said the advice given yesterday was proportionate and based on the best available science.
However, he cautioned. “We need to remember that there are many factors associated with hyperactive behaviour in children other than diet. These are thought to include genetic factors, being born prematurely, or environment and upbringing.”
The preservative sodium benzoate was also used in the Southampton study. Use of sodium benzoate is mainly restricted to soft drinks. The FSA decided that advice to Ministers and consumers should focus on the colours used in the study, as the primary function of sodium benzoate is as a preservative.
UK Ministers are now expected to consider the advice which could be used as a basis to inform the country’s position when negotiating with EU partners.
The research team from Southampton University welcomed the FSA’s decision but also stressed that the removal of these colours would not eradicate hyperactivity in children.
Research team member Jim Stevenson said: “The change of regulation recommended by the FSA to remove these six colours will be welcomed by parents, especially those wanting to avoid exposing their children to artificial colours and who were trying to achieve this by monitoring the constituents of the food bought for the family.
'It must be emphasised that the eventual removal of these colours from food will not by itself eliminate hyperactivity and certainly not for all children. Artificial colours are just one of a wide range of social and biological influences on hyperactivity. However it is the view of the Southampton team that removing the colours from food will improve the health of children.'
In December, FLEXNEWS reported that UK supermarket ASDA became the first to exclude all artificial flavorings and colours from its own brand products.