The Food Standards Agency has handed over the issue of removing artificial colours to the UK food industry and European regulatory agencies and turned up the temperature of the debate.
In mid-September the FSA called representatives of the industry to a meeting and asked them what they were removing from a list of E-numbers used in an FSA-commissioned study by Southampton Unviersity. It also challenged them on what action they were taking to provide information to consumers.
The FSA then met with consumer and other organisations to explain its revised advice, following research by the Committee on Toxicity, which concluded that hyperactive children should avoid food and drink with these additives. The organisations at the meeting "felt it was unreasonable to place the burden of avoiding these colours on consumers". The group called for a ban, and for the Agency should extend its advice to all children.
FSA chair Dame Deirdre Hutton said she was "astonished" the food industry had not taken out the additives in response to consumer concerns. She also said the FSA was "urging the European Food Safety Authority and the Commission to deliver an opinion urgently".
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