FSA urges govt to ban artificial food colourings

10 April 2008 18:02  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) on Thursday urged government ministers to support phasing out artificial food colourings linked to hyperactivity in children.

 

Delegates attending the FSA’s open board meeting discussed the findings of a £750,000 ($1.5m/ €945,000) six-week study it had commissioned to examine the effects of six artificial colours and the preservative sodium benzoate on children.

 

"If one puts consumers first, and if you bear in mind that these [colours] are not necessary, then the evidence suggests that it would be sensible for these to be taken out of the food that children eat, and by definition, what everybody eats," said FSA chair Deirdre Hutton.

 

“The advice we will pass to ministers is that we would like to see the use of colours in food and drink phased out. We do recognise that this might take some time but we would like to see voluntary action in the UK by 2009," she said.

 

Research by the University of Southampton, published in September, was the largest of its kind and involved a sample group of around 300 candidates. The results suggested a direct link between the additives and conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

 

The colourings included in the study were sunset yellow (E110), allura red (E129), tatrazine (E102), quinoline yellow (E104), carmoisine (E122) and ponceau 4R (E124). The last three are already banned in the US and Canada and have restricted use in Australia.

 

Julian Hunt, director of communications for the Food and Drink Federation, said he was surprised by the FSA’s move.

 

“UK food and drink manufacturers are already taking these colours out of products on supermarket shelves,” he said. “The UK industry has for a number of years been responding to consumers' demands for fewer artificial additives in food and drinks.

 

“The FSA proposal puts the UK at odds with the rest of Europe, where decisions about the safety of additives are made," Hunt said. "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.”

 

Although an independent watchdog, the European Food Safety Authority last month ruled out a ban based on the Southampton research, and refused to alter its acceptable daily intake recommendations, the FSA suggested parents avoid the ingredients tested.

 

The global food additives market is growing rapidly. According to a report from US-based market research firm Global Industry Analysts, the sector will be worth $29bn (€18bn) by 2010, up from around $26.7bn this year. Europe currently dominates the market with a 34% share.

 

($1 = €0.63)

 

For more on food additives see the 28 April issue of ICIS Chemical Business

By: Andy Brice
+44 20 8652 3214

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