Additives
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The Role of Additives in Food
Additives are substances added during the processing of food, and in very small
quantities, to help maintain the quality of the finished product. Additives are
not a recent invention – for example, preservatives such as Saltpetre
have
been in use since the Middle Ages. Colours also have a long history of use.
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Regulatory Safeguards
The use of food additives is strictly regulated under European law. They must be
approved as safe by the European Food Safety Authority before they can be used
-
and the maximum amount which can be used is decided on the basis of the safety
evaluation. Consumers' intake of food additives is also closely monitored: A
European Commission report on 'Dietary Food Additive Intake' indicated that
consumption
of all types of additives was within the strict safety limits set by the
legislation. Particular attention was given to consumption by children.
Manufacturers
must also label the additives they use on their products.
An E number indicates that an additive has passed safety tests and has been
approved for use (by specific usage criteria) in the UK and the rest of the
European
Union.
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Research on Additives – food colours
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) announced the findings of its commissioned
research[1] into a mixture of five colours and one preservative in September 2007. Based on
these findings FSA amended its advice to state that 'parents of children
showing
signs of hyperactivity are being advised that eliminating certain artificial
food colours from their diets might have some beneficial effects on their
behaviour'.
As the colours and preservative in the FSA study are legally permitted under EU
law FSA referred the research to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
as
part of its ongoing review of all food additives.
EFSA published its opinion on the FSA-funded study on 15 March 2008. It stated:
'The
EFSA AFC Panel, with the help of experts in behaviour, child psychiatry,
allergy
and statistics, concluded that this study provided limited evidence that the
mixtures of additives tested had a small effect on the activity and attention
of
some
children. However, the effects observed were not consistent for the two
age
groups and for the two mixtures used in the study.
'Considering the overall weight of evidence and in view of the considerable
uncertainties, such as the lack of consistency and relative weakness of the
effect
and the absence of information on the clinical significance of the behavioural
changes observed, the Panel concluded that the findings of the McCann et al
study
could not be used as a basis for altering the ADI of the respective food
colours
or
sodium benzoate.'
The FSA's Board nevertheless recommended to UK Ministers that there should be
voluntary action by manufacturers in the UK to remove these colours by 2009. In
addition, there should be action to phase them out in food and drink in the
European Union (EU) over a specified period. EFSA has subsequently issued
revised
safety assessments for all the colours concerned and the European Commission
and
Member States are currently reviewing the safety authorisations for the use of
these colours in certain products.
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Recognising Consumer Concerns
The UK industry has for a number of years been responding to consumers' demands
for fewer artificial additives in food and drinks. Our members were reducing
the
use of the colours highlighted in the Southampton study well before it was
published. The overwhelming majority of products don't contain these particular
colours. However, for some food and drink products reformulation has not been
possible for technical reasons and we shall continue to defend the use of the
colours
concerned provided their use remains within safe limits.
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Still Concerned?
If you still have concerns about additives in food, read FSA's latest advice on additives and remember, additives must always be clearly marked on the
packaging. The
colours used in the FSA's research are: Sunset Yellow (E110); Tartrazine
(E102);
Quinoline Yellow (E104); Carmoisine (E122); Ponceau 4R (E124); Allura Red
(E129).
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More Information
(1) Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old
children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled
trial,
McCann et al, The Lancet, 6 September 2007
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Last reviewed: 18 Nov 2011