Food colours and flavour enhancers

Overview

The Southampton study and its six colours, warning labels, titanium dioxide, carmine, natural colours, monosodium glutamate and the evidence on flavour enhancers.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   Why are colours added to food?

   Model answer

   Colours restore colour lost in processing, keep products looking consistent and make food more appealing. Sweets and children's foods use bright colours to attract buyers.

2. 2

   What did the 2007 Southampton study find?

   Model answer

   The Southampton study found that mixes of six artificial colours with sodium benzoate increased hyperactive behaviour in some children. The research was led by McCann and funded by the FSA.

3. 3

   Name the six colours tested in the Southampton study.

   Model answer

   Four of the colours were tartrazine, quinoline yellow, sunset yellow and carmoisine. The other two were allura red and ponceau 4R.

4. 4

   What warning must appear in the EU on foods containing the Southampton colours?

   Model answer

   The label must state that the colour may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. The warning has been required since July 2010.

5. 5

   How did the FSA respond to the Southampton study?

   Model answer

   The FSA asked manufacturers to remove the six colours voluntarily. Many UK manufacturers and retailers replaced them with natural colours.

6. 6

   What is titanium dioxide, and why was it banned in the EU?

   Model answer

   Titanium dioxide, E171, is a white colour once used in sweets and icing. The EU banned it in 2022 because EFSA could not rule out damage to DNA.

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