The European Food Standards Agency is to conduct further research into the possible link between six food colourings and hyperactivity in children, following calls from 42 organisations across Europe for the European Commission to suspend their use.
The link was first suggested in September 2007 in the medical magazine The Lancet, following a study by Southampton University. Some food and drink manufacturers have already stopped using the colourings, in response to widespread concern among consumer groups and in the media.
The UK Food Standard Agency has already recommended a voluntary ban by manufacturers to take effect from 2009, on the basis that the food colourings carry a number of risks but offer no real benefit. Other countries, such as Denmark, have also taken action.
Any formal ban in Europe would have to come from the European Commission via the EFSA. The EFSA was originally asked by the European Commission to assess the study and found that it contained inconsistencies, did not test the effects of each additive in isolation and gave no basis for changing the acceptable daily intakes.
If the EFSA's further research confirms the Southampton University findings, the European Commission is likely to consider a ban.
The six food colourings are:
- sunset yellow (E110) also used to colour pills and
cosmetics
- tertazine (E102) used in powdered drinks, mustard and
artificial honey
- carmoisine (E122) used in marmalades and jams
- ponceau (E124) used in smoked fish and candies
- quinoline yellow (E104) used in jelly-type desserts and
cakes
- allura red (E129) used in syrups, soda and sweets
The Southampton University study also covered sodium benzoate (E211), used in a large number of food and drink items and also in certain medicines. It is widely used as a preservative and also occurs naturally in foods, so a ban is not under consideration.
This article was written for Law-Now, CMS Cameron McKenna's free online information service. To register for Law-Now, please go to www.law-now.com/law-now/mondaq
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The original publication date for this article was 13/06/2008.