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The
European Parliament has voted in favour of labelling foods containing
the six food colours E110, E104, E122, E129, E102 and E124 with the
words "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in
children." The provision was added following evidence generated
by research commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency, published
in September 2007. The research, known as the "Southampton
Study" showed that a combination of six food colours and one
preservative increased hyperactivity in a cross section of children,
not just those who had been previously diagnosed with ADHD.
Foods
containing the six dyes will have to carry the warning within
eighteen months of the official publication of the law, expected
within the next few weeks. Any food placed on the market before the
eighteen month deadline will be allowed to stay on the shelf until
the sell by date has been reached.
Anna Glayzer,
co-ordinator of the Food Commission's "Action on Additives"
Campaign, which has been lobbying for a ban both in the UK and EU
said, "This is in one sense a gain for the consumer, in that
it should deter manufacturers from using these ingredients. Our
concern is that this will be just one more thing parents are expected
to look out for. Even if you do have time to check every label while
you shop, you can't vet everything your child eats outside the home,
and if you are eating out you don't even get to see labels. If we
have enough evidence to issue a warning, why not take the burden off
the parent and simply ban these colours? They serve no useful purpose
in our food."
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
Some examples
of new products on the UK market containing the colours:
Cadbury's
Creme Egg Twister, manufactured by Cadbury Trebor Bassett conatins
E110 Sunset Yellow.
Starburst
Choozers, manufactured by Mars, contain E104 and E122.
Sugarfree
Trident Splash Apple and Apricot Flavour Gum, manufactured by Cadbury
Trebor Bassett, contains E104
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