The Consumer Council calls on parents to avoid exposing children to excessive artificial food colours. Parents concerned with hyperactivity will do well to read up ingredient lists in choosing food for their children.
A UK study indicated six artificial food colours in the diet may result in increased hyperactivity in certain children.
The six artificial food colours involved are tartrazine, quinoline yellow, sunset yellow, carmoisine, ponceau 4R, and allura red AC. In the study, two groups of children (respectively aged three and eight to nine years old) exhibited increased hyperactivity after consuming drinks mixed with various quantities of those six artificial food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate.
In examining the use of those six artificial food colours in local snacks and beverages, the Consumer Council found that nearly half of the 84 samples surveyed contained one or more of them. The samples covered 23 biscuits, 28 candies, 15 beverages and 18 jellies.
Among the 84 samples, 40 were found containing one or more of the six artificial food colours, including 11 biscuits, 15 candies, 6 beverages and 8 jellies products.
The current regulations in Hong Kong permit the use of these six artificial food colours, but they are required to be labelled in the ingredient list if prepackaged food products contain any of them.
Starting from 20 July this year, food items marketed in European Union countries and containing these artificial colours must bear the additional information that "[they] may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children".
Hyperactivity in children is caused by a combination of factors. The syndrome might be alleviated by avoiding the intake of food containing those six artificial food colours but it is not a total solution. Parents should seek advice from medical professionals for proper treatment.
Artificial food colours are made of chemical compounds. Some of their raw materials may come from coal tar or petroleum. They are widely used in food production due to their stability in different environments (e.g. temperature and pH), appealing effect and lower cost.
The food industry is urged to keep a close eye on the development in international studies on food colours, and make effort to meet consumers' expectation on food safety by using safe additives.
Details are reported in the latest (November) issue of CHOICE.
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