9th Feb 2009 - 00:00
Abstract
The Food Standards Agency has published a list of product ranges from food manufacturers, caterers and retailers that do not contain the six food colours associated with possible hyperactivity in young children.
The list includes both companies whose product ranges have never contained the six colours as well as product ranges that have been reformulated to remove the colours. The colours, identified by a Southampton University study financed by the Food Standards Agency, are: sunset yellow FCF (E110) quinoline yellow (E104) carmoisine (E122) allura red (E129) tartrazine (E102) ponceau 4R (E124) Retailers that have own range product lines free from the colours include Asda, Iceland, Marks & Spencer and Tesco. Food manufacturers producing product lines free of the colours include: Asian Asset Group (Worldfoods products) Green Bay (Green Bay products) Heinz (Heinz, Weight Watchers from Heinz, HP, Lea & Perrins) Vimto Soft Drinks (Vimto drinks, Panda drinks, Sunkist drinks) Restaurants with product ranges free from the six colours include McDonald's (McDonald's own brand food and drinks). The Agency is publicising the product ranges to encourage the food industry to participate in the voluntary ban. The voluntary ban was agreed to by ministers late last year. Any food manufacturer or retailer wishing to notify the Agency their brands or products are free of these colours, should contact the Agency with the details. To inform the Agency, email details to Clair Baynton, at clair.baynton@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk