While we have learnt today that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are set to recommend to the UK government that 6 particular food additives are removed from food and drink by 2009, many are starting to ask why it has taken so long. The artificial colourings have been directly linked to hyperactivity in children but we have been consuming them for years. So what is really going on?
The colourings in question are Sunset yellow (E110), Quinoline yellow (E104), Carmoisine (E122), Allura red (E129), Tartrazine (E102) and Ponceau 4R (E124), all of which have shown to cause hyperactivity in children of varying ages. While the link between various food and drink additives and health side affects has been well know for some time, why has it take so long for the FSA to step forward and make this recommendation. There is also the fact that the FSA are only recommending a voluntary code of practice, which seems a very light hearted approach to what looks like being a serious problem.
Slowly but surely we are starting to a number of research projects highlighting the potential problems with food and drink additives, many of which are common in children’s food and drink products. We seem to be in a society where the look and colour of a drink or food seems to be more important than the health and nutrient value. These 6 additives have been around for some time and if the link has only just been made with hyperactive children, how much harm have they already done to other children?
The frightening truth us that we do not know what they put in our food and what it may or may not do to us, and while we depend upon organisations like the FSA they have proved to be toothless in many instances. It will be interesting to see what other reports are released in the future, and whether the health of the world will come before the profits of the food and drink manufacturers!
