True Colours

COLOURANTS have recently been in the news and not necessarily in a good way, as the US Food and Drug Administration announced that it would review the relationship between synthetic food colours – also known as azo dyes – and hyperactive child behaviour. This move actually comes several years after a European Commission law made it mandatory since 20 July 2010 for all products containing azo dyes to have the warning statement: "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". In addition to the warning, EU Regulation 1333/2008 requires that the following synthetic azo dyes be labelled by their common names or E numbers in the list of ingredients:

? sunset yellow (E110; FD&C Yellow 6)
? allura red (E129; FD&C Red 40)
? tartrazine (E102; FD&C Yellow 5)
? quinoline yellow* (E104; FD&C Yellow 10)
? carmoisine* (E122; FD&C Red 3)
? Ponceau 4R* (E124; FD&C Red #40)

Numerous clinical studies have linked synthetic food colours to impaired children's behaviour. In the 1970s, paediatric allergist Dr. Benjamin Feingold treated hyperactive children by prescribing a diet that eliminated foods with artificial colouring.  It is a 2007 University of Southampton study, however, which hugely influenced the EC decision to require the warning labels. The two-part study found that exposure to two mixtures of four synthetic colours plus a sodium benzoate preservative in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year old and 8- to 9-year old children in the general population. For these reason, the colours have become known as the "Southampton Six".

Colourful controversy

The US FDA's decision to review the matter has raised the level of exchange between consumer groups and the manufacturing sector. The Centre for Science in the Public Interest urges strong FDA action on food dyes. "Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and other dyes have no useful nutritional or preservative value; their only function is cosmetic. And by ‘cosmetic', I mean that dyes are often used to make junk food more attractive to young children, or to simulate the presence of a healthful fruit or other natural ingredient. Surprisingly, even foods that aren't particularly colourful – such as instant mashed potatoes or pickles – are dyed," CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson said in a statement.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents producers, packagers and others who produce and sell food, beverages, and other packaged consumer goods in the United States, continues to back the safety of artificial food colours. "All of the major safety bodies globally have reviewed the available science and have determined that there is no demonstrable link between artificial food colours and hyperactivity amongst children," the GMA said.

"These expert evaluations were conducted by the European Food Safety Authority; the US Food and Drug Administration; Food Standards Australia New Zealand; the United Kingdom Committee on Toxicity (of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment); the German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment; and the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, and the Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food and Cosmetics of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety," the trade group also said.

On evaluation of the available data, the expert panel convened by the U.S. FDA ruled at the end of March 2011 that foods with artificial colourings are safe and there is no need for these foods to carry special warning labels. Based on a review of published studies, the FDA stated that "a causal relationship between exposure to colour additives and hyperactivity in children in the general population has not been established", even as it conceded that the dyes in question may exacerbate behavioural problems in some children.

As a result of these two different rulings U.S. companies that operate inNIKE