|
Forty two public interest
organisations from twelve EU member states have appealed to the
European Health Commissioner to suspend the use of six food colours
that have been linked to increased hyperactivity in children.
The calls, for the European
Commission to act in the interest of the consumer, are in response to
the recently issued European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) opinion
on UK research known as the Southampton Study. The EFSA agreed that
the additives tested in the study affected children's behaviour, but
stated that there was no basis for action.
The signatories, who represent
health, consumer and parent's groups from across the EU, argue that
consumer health will be put at risk if the European Commission fails
to act on this research. They point out that the European Commission
has a responsibility to place the health of the consumer at the
forefront of food policy, and to safeguard the wellbeing of children.
The statement concludes that, to do nothing would seriously fail
European consumers, and fall short of fulfilling the stated purpose
for which the EFSA was initially formed.
Anna Glayzer of the Action on
Additives campaign, and co-author of the statement asks, 'what
purpose is served by the continued use of these food colours? They
are purely cosmetic. We know that consumers from all over Europe,
especially parents, do not want the colours in their food, and we
know that manufacturers can replace the colours, as some have already
started to reformulate.'
The UK Food Standards Agency
(FSA), which commissioned the Southampton Study, will discussed the
EFSA opinion on Thursday 10th April at their open board meeting in
London. The FSA recommended that its board support a mandatory
European ban of the six colours, combined with a voluntary ban in the
UK. Professor Jim Stevenson, co-author of the Southampton Study, has
issued a strong rebuttal of the EFSA opinion, which will also be
presented to the board.
On Friday 11th April, national
experts met to discuss the outcome of the EFSA opinion at the
Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health, part of the EU
Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General (DG SANCO). MEPs
Christel Schaldemose (Denmark) and Asa Westlund (Sweden) are
currently circulating a petition amongst other MEPs, calling on the
Commission to prohibit use of the six colours.
The six food colourings which,
along with the preservative E211 Sodium Benzoate, were shown by the
Southampton Study to increase hyperactivity in children:
* E102 Tartrazine
* E104 Quinoline Yellow
* E110 Sunset Yellow
* E122 Carmoisine
* E124 Ponceau 4R
* E129 Allura Red
* E211 Sodium Benzoate
|
