Food Firms Junk Sweets Giant and Danger Additives

By Sean Poulter

SUSPECT additives are to be removed from Britain’s best-selling brand of sweets.

Haribo announced yesterday it would replace the artificial ingredients in its products with natural alternatives by the end of the year.

The Daily Mail is campaigning to ban the additives which an official reportthis week linked to hyperactivity in children.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Marks Spencer and the Co-op have responded by pledging to axe the dyes from their own-label products.

Scientists working for the Food Standards Agency found that ordinary children – without a history of hyperactivity – became more animated, loud and impulsive after consuming a cocktail of common additives.

But the Government agency has refused to seek to ban the six artificial colours and one preservative which featured in the research.

Instead it has left the decision to food to ban the six artificial colours and one preservative which featured in the research.

Instead it has left the decision to food firms and told parents of hyperactive children only that they may wish to avoid the chemicals.

Academics, health campaigners and parent groups called for tougher action.

And Prime Minister Gordon Brown has signalled he wants the same and is pledging to fight for a complete ban at EU level.

The artificial colours tested in the study were tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R (E124), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122), quinoline yellow (E104) and allura red AC (E129). Also under suspicion is the preservative sodium benzoate (E211), which is commonly used in soft drinks.

The research was conducted by Southampton University.

A spokesman for Haribo, which is German-owned, said it was taking action across Europe to change its products.

Packs of its best selling Starmix include three of the suspect colours, quinoline yellow, sunset yellow and ponceau 4R.

‘By the end of 2007 all of our bagged gums and jellies will be clear of all artificial colours,’ said the company in a statement.

It would only add that it was constantly looking at ways to improve its products ‘in response to consumers’ growing awareness and interest in nutrition’.

A spokesman for Tesco said: ‘We share the Daily Mail’s aim to have the colours mentioned in this study removed.

‘The colours are only used in about 30 out of Tesco’s 10,000 lines and we’re working actively with the manufacturers to CAMPAIGN eliminate those.’ Asda issued a promise to clear artificial additives from its 9,000 ownlabel food and soft drinks by the end of the year.

Darren Blackhurst, the supermarket chain’s food trading director, said: ‘We know that our customers, particularly those who are mums and dads, are becoming more and more concerned about what’s in the food that they buy.

‘We want to make life easier and healthier for them and their families by stripping out the "nasties" from all our own-label food and soft drinks.’ Sainsbury’s is axing the additives from more than 12,000 own-brand products. It is seeking natural alternatives where artificial colours are still used.

These products include canned strawberries, raspberries, glace cherries, processed peas and angel cake.

Judith Batchelar of Sainsbury’s said: ‘I’m very proud that Sainsbury’s is the first major food retailer to remove artificial colouring, flavour enhancers and benzoate preservatives from virtually all our ownbrand food and soft drinks. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this and are happy to support the Mail’s campaign.’ David Gregory of MS said: ‘We are working hard to remove artificial colours and flavourings and will have removed them from 99 per cent of all food by the end of the year.

‘We recently extended our ban to over half of the additives permitted by the EU, particularly those associated with concerns about food intolerance and children’s diets.’ Lizzie Vann, founder of the

Organix children’s food range, has been campaigning for the removal of additives from all children’s food.

She condemned the FSA’s response to the research, saying: ‘We need a complete ban on these additives. It is not good enough to leave public health policy to voluntary action by manufacturers.’ Organisations supporting an outright ban include the Children’s Food Campaign, the Soil Association and the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group.

Academics including Vyvyan Howard, professor of bio-imaging at Ulster University, and Professor Eric Millstone, of the University of Sussex, also favour a ban..

The seven suspect additives – with the exception of sodium benzoate – are all banned in some countries.

Quinoline yellow is banned in the US, Japan, Australia and Norway. It is allowed in the UK but levels are restricted.

Sunset yellow is banned in Norway, Finland and Sweden and restricted in the UK.

Britain is joined by 24 European countries including France, Germany, Italy and Spain in not banning any of the seven.

As well as hyperactivity, the ingredients are blamed for medical problems such as allergic reactions, mild rashes, nausea, inflamed skin and abdominal pain.

s.poulter@dailymail.co.uk

E104 Quinoline Yellow Found in: Haribo Starmix , Haribo Mallow Mania (both to be phased out), Trident Splash gum raspberry peach flavour, Tic Tac Lime and Orange, Swizzels Matlow Lots of Lollies, Skittles, Starburst Choozers, Swizzels Matlow Love Hearts Dip, Barratt Flumps, Peanut MMs, Maynards Sports Mixture, Swizzels Matlow Bumper Bag, Swizzels Matlow Giant Love Hearts, Swizzels Matlow Mega Drumstick, Swizzels Matlow Refreshers and Maynards Wine Gums.

E110 Sunset Yellow Found in: Haribo Starmix, Tic Tac lime orange, Skittles, Swizzels Matlow Bumper Bag, Swizzels Matlow

WHAT’S IN YOUR CHILD’S SWEETS? Refreshers, Swizzels Matlow Giant Love Hearts, Maynards Sports Mixture, Swizzels Matlow Love Hearts Dip and Swizzels Matlow Lots of Lollies.

E122 Carmoisine Found in: Starburst Fruity Chews, Maynards Wine Gums, Swizzels Matlow Lots of Lollies, Starburst Choozers, Maynards Sport Mixture, Swizzels Matlow Bumper Bag and Swizzels Matlow Giant Love Hearts.

E124 Ponceau 4R Found in: Haribo Starmix, Haribo Mallow Mania, Skittles, Swizzels Matlow Love Hearts

Dip, Swizzels Matlow Lots of Lollies, Swizzels Matlow Bumper Bag and Swizzels Matlow Giant Love Hearts.

E129 Allura Red Found in: Maynards Wine Gums, Swizzels Matlow Lots of Lollies, Skittles, Chupa Chups Bubbly lolly, Barratt Flumps, Swizzels Matlow Bumper Bag and Swizzels Matlow Giant Love Hearts.

E211 Sodium Benzoate Found in: Soft drinks such as Topps Juicy Drop Pop Blue Raspberry..

(c) 2007 Daily Mail; London (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.