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Food watchdog calls for voluntary ban on food additives

10/04/2008

The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) has called for a voluntary ban on six artificial food colourings after they were linked with hyperactivity in children.

A total ban would have to be agreed by the European Union but the watchdog chose to discuss the issue at its board meeting today to decide what steps the UK should take.

The colourings in question are allura red (E129), carmoisine (E122), ponceau 4R (E124), quinoline yellow (E104), sunset yellow (E110) and tartrazine (E102).

Last September a report from researchers at Southampton University claimed that eating or drinking certain mixes of artificial food colourings and a commonly used food preservative could be linked to hyperactivity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

FSA chair Deidre Hutton said it was the duty of the watchdog to "put consumers first".

"The evidence we have suggests it would be sensible these [colourings] should be taken out of food," she added.

The decision has been welcomed by food and farming group Sustain.

The group's campaign director, Richard Watts, said: "This decision is good news for children and parents, who have known for many years that these additives affect children's behaviour.

"The FSA had little choice other than to take this step as soon as they received scientific evidence that these additives were about as harmful to children as leaded petrol."

He continued: "We are very disappointed that the food industry continues to produce new products that contain these additives and we call on them to immediately withdraw any product containing these harmful additives."

But Julian Hunt, Food and Drink Federation director of communications, said UK food and drink manufacturers are already taking the colours out of products.

"We are surprised the FSA board feels it is an appropriate use of their powers to call for a voluntary ban," he said.

"There are a handful of popular food and drinks where reformulation has not been possible for technical reasons and we are concerned these will have to be taken off shop shelves."

Mr Hunt added: "The FSA proposal puts the UK at odds with the rest of Europe, where decisions about the safety of additives are made.

"Such a ban could not apply to imports from Europe since the UK would be the only country to ban these colours, which raises questions about how workable it really is."