Although many parents (and not just the parents of hyperactive youngsters) would like to see artifical colours banned entirely from children’s food, this summer’s EU ruling that E110, E104, E122, E129, E102 and E124 (the coal-tar-dye-based colours) will have to carry a warning that they ‘may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children’ is welcome.

The provision was added as a result of the UK Foods Standards Agency research last year, which showed that these colours increased hyperactivity in all children, not just children with ADHD. Manufacturers have 18 months to comply with the regulation. Meanwhile the FSA is still working for a voluntary ban on any use of these colours although they have not yet decided how to persuade manufacturers to implement such a ban.

Courtesy of the Food Magazine www.foodcomm.org.uk

First published in November 2008

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