Food colours and children
Short answer. Foods in the EU that contain tartrazine (E102), quinoline yellow (E104), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122), ponceau 4R (E124) or allura red (E129) must carry the text "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". The evidence for the effect is limited.
The six colours
| E-number | Name |
|---|---|
| E102 | Tartrazine |
| E104 | Quinoline yellow |
| E110 | Sunset yellow FCF |
| E122 | Carmoisine (azorubine) |
| E124 | Ponceau 4R |
| E129 | Allura red AC |
Why the warning exists
In 2007, researchers at the University of Southampton published a trial that the UK Food Standards Agency had paid for. About 300 children from the general population drank test drinks. The drinks held mixtures of these colours and the preservative sodium benzoate. In some groups, hyperactive behaviour increased.
The EU then added a labelling rule. Since 20 July 2010, a food with one of the six colours must show the colour's name or E-number and the warning text above. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex V, sets the rule.
What EFSA concluded
EFSA reviewed the study. It found limited evidence of a small effect of the tested mixtures in some children. The study could not show which single substance caused it. EFSA did not find proof of a causal link for individual colours. The EU chose a warning and not a ban.
In practice
- A warning is not a ban, and the foods are legal.
- The effect, if real, is small and does not affect every child.
- If your child is sensitive to colours, the label gives you a quick way to spot them.
- Other colours, such as natural ones, carry no such warning.
What IngrediScan does
The app flags these colours in the Child and Infant profiles, with the reason and the sources. See the pages for tartrazine and the other colours below.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Article 24 and Annex V
- EFSA: food additives
- McCann et al. 2007 (Lancet): food additives and hyperactivity in children
- EFSA 2008: evaluation of the Southampton study on additives and child behaviour
Ingredient pages
- Tartrazine (E102)
- Quinoline Yellow (E104)
- Sunset Yellow FCF (E110)
- Carmoisine (E122)
- Ponceau 4R (E124)
- Allura Red AC (E129)
- Sodium Benzoate (E211)
The assessment is for information only. It does not replace the manufacturer's label or advice from a doctor or vet. Text recognition (OCR) can miss part of a label. No result does not mean the product is safe.