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Food Standards Agency

Thursday 20 November 2008

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Update on food colours and hyperactivity

Monday 5 November 2007

colours in bowl

Following publication of the Southampton study on the effect of certain artificial food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate on children's behaviour, the Agency met with industry and public interest group representatives to discuss the actions being taken by industry on the use of these additives.

The meeting also considered what further action could be taken to provide practical help to parents who wish to avoid the colours considered in the study.

A note of the meeting is published below, along with a letter to industry representatives asking for further information on their actions on these additives.

This information will inform the discussion by the Board of the Food Standards Agency regarding what further action should be taken following publication of the EFSA opinion on the Southampton study in early 2008.

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Related links

Food and drink industry use of food colours and sodium benzoate: letter to industry stakeholders

Download pdf  (pdf 50KB) Industry and Public Interest Group Joint Meeting Note: 9 October 2007

Download pdf  (pdf 20KB)

External links   The Food Standards Agency has no responsibility for the content of external websites

(External) EFSA response to Southampton study

More advice from our eatwell website

(External) Food additives and hyperactivity (External) Get Adobe Acrobat reader You may need the free Acrobat Reader to view a pdf

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