Government
UK food agency calls for ban on six artificial colorants
By Sue Mueller
Apr 12, 2008 - 12:28:18 PM

SATURDAY April 12, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- The UK Food Standards Agency on April 10 recommended ministers call for manufacturers to stop using six artificial colors or colorants by the end of 2009 and lobby for a European Union ban, The Independent, a UK newspaper reported April 11.

The agency will issue a public advisory to warn parents about the dangers of tartrazine (E102) (FD&C Yellow 5 in the U.S.), quinoline yellow (E104) (banned in the U.S.), sunset yellow (E110) (FD&C Yellow 6), carmoisine (E122) (banned in the U.S.), ponceau 4R (E124) (banned in the U.S.) and allura red (E129) (FD&C Red 40).

One UK study by Southampton University has found these colorants and the preservative sodium benzoate (E211) were linked to hyperactivity, making school children become distracted and fail a computer attention test.

Professor Jim Stevenson from Southampton University, and author of the report, was quoted by wikipedia as saying "This has been a major study investigating an important area of research. The results suggest that consumption of certain mixtures of artificial food colours and sodium benzoate preservative are associated with increases in hyperactive behaviour in children.

The Independent said research showed 30 percent of cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD are caused by these colorants used in food and beverages.

A scientist affiliated foodconsumer.org suggested that consumers should take a look at the label when they decide to buy or use a food or beverage if they want to avoid artificial colorants.  To help quickly spot artificial colorants, he suggested consumers at the color of the food or drink.  Bright colors tend to be artificial.