The Food Standards Agency Board today agreed to advise UK Ministers that there should be voluntary action by manufacturers in the UK to remove certain food colourants 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. The colourants the agency wants banned include: Sunset yellow (E110), Quinoline yellow (E104), Carmoisine (E122), Allura red (E129), Tartrazine (E102), Ponceau 4R (E124). The decision is likely to affect the curry industry as many restaurants use colourants in curries and multi-coloured pillau rice.

This discussion took place following the publication last September of research into these colours by Southampton University and in the light of the review of this work by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which was published in March. Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said: 'It is the Agency's duty to put consumers first. These additives give colour to foods but nothing else. It would therefore be sensible, in the light of the findings of the Southampton Study, to remove them from food and drink products. UK industry has already taken great strides to remove these colours from food; this decision builds on the work already done and will encourage industry to continue down this path.'

Parents of children showing signs of hyperactivity are advised that cutting certain artificial colours from their diets might have some beneficial effects. These colours are:

• Sunset yellow (E110)
• Quinoline yellow (E104)
• Carmoisine (E122)
• Allura red (E129)
• Tartrazine (E102)
• Ponceau 4R (E124)

Food Standards Agency Chief Scientist, Andrew Wadge, said: 'This advice is proportionate and based on the best available science. However, we need to remember that there are many factors associated with hyperactive behaviour in children other than diet. These are thought to include genetic factors, being born prematurely, or environment and upbringing.'

The preservative sodium benzoate was also used in the Southampton study. Use of sodium benzoate is mainly restricted to soft drinks. The Board decided that advice to Ministers and consumers should focus on the colours used in the study, as the primary function of sodium benzoate is as a preservative.

Today's Board decision does not mean that there is an immediate ban on the use of the six colours in food and drink products as the agency can only make reccommendations to ministers.