FSA launches guidance on removing food colours

The Food Standards Agency has published guidance to help food businesses remove from their products certain food colours associated with possible hyperactivity in young children.

Research commissioned by the FSA has shown that combinations of certain permitted food colours, and the preservative sodium benzoate, could be linked to increased hyperactivity in some children. The food colours are: sunset yellow (E110), quinoline yellow (E104), carmoisine (E122), allura red (E129), tartrazine (E102) and ponceau 4R (E124).

Some manufacturers and retailers have already taken action to remove these colours. The FSA is encouraging others to work towards finding alternatives, and to voluntarily withdraw these colours as requested by UK Ministers and the Food Standards Agency in 2008.

The guidance includes technical details to provide businesses with more information about alternative colours that may be appropriate for their products.

Source: FSA

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