Greens call for ban on food colouring

THE E.U. has changed the procedure for approving food additives on sale, following a formal agreement between the European Parliament and the Council. The reform, which creates a more transparent, uniform and centralised procedure aims to uphold the protection of human health and consumer rights.

According to the new rules, before any new substance is approved the European Food Safety Organisation should give a scientifically-based opinion of whether a substance is safe within nine months. The Commission then has an additional nine months to decide whether the substance will be included in the list of allowed substances.

A food additive will be approved only when its use is considered safe, is technologically necessary, does not misinform consumers and offers benefits and advantages to consumers. Additives and colouring in baby food, for example, will be banned altogether.

MEPs also decided that food containing additives with colourings (E110, E104, E122, E129, E 102, E124) should bear warnings on wrappings stating that “they may have an adverse effect on the activity and attention span of children.”

Southampton Study

The Green Party yesterday held a press conference in Limassol where they presented the findings of a study by the University of Southampton on the adverse effects of additives with colourings on the development of children. According to the Greens, the study’s findings contributed to the decision on the part of the EU for a reformed procedure on approving additives.

“The Greens believe that governments, including Cyprus’ should take advantage of the study’s research and fully ban dangerous additive substances and stop putting the onus of responsibility for avoiding these substances on parents,” said the Greens.

The study shows that some colourings, in combination with sodium benzoate (E211) aggravate symptoms of hyperactivity and attention deficit to pre-school and school age children. It was conducted of the UK Food Safety Agency and its findings were published in 2007.

Based on these findings, the FSA asked the EU to ban six additive colourings, and the UK government to implement a gradual withdrawal of colourings from the country.

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