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  • From: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Food Additives Tied To Child Behavior Problems
  • Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2007 08:55:29 -0600


Food Additives Tied To Child Behavior Problems
The proof food additives ARE as bad as we feared.
By Sean Poulter
5-10-7

Parents have been warned to avoid artificial additives used in drinks,
sweets
and processed foods amid a link to behaviour problems in children. A study
funded by the government's Food Standards Agency (FSA) is understood to
have
drawn a link with temper tantrums and poor concentration. There are also
concerns
about allergic reactions such as asthma and rashes.

The findings are potentially explosive for the entire food industry, which
faces the need to reformulate a vast array of children's products. Vyvyan
Howard, professor of bio-imaging at Ulster University and an adviser to the
FSA,
called on parents and manufacturers to protect children. He said: "It is
biologically plausible that they could be having an effect. "Parents can
protect their
children by avoiding foods containing the additives. I personally do not
feed
these sorts of foods to my 15-month-old daughter."

He called on manufacturers and supermarkets to remove the additives on a
precautionary basis. He said: "It is the right thing to do to remove these
additives from children's foods. They have no nutritional value, so why put
them in?

"There are very tight restrictions banning these additives from foods
designed for children under the age of one. "But why stop there? Children's
brains
and nervous systems are developing beyond the age of one."

Prof Howard is not a member of the FSA committee assessing the latest
research, however he did advise on how the study should be conducted.
Experts on the
FSA's Committee on Toxicity(CoT) are expected to say that parents who want
to
minimise any risk of an adverse reaction should avoid these additives.

Some leading companies have already responded to mounting evidence of harm
caused by chemical additives, particularly the vivid colours used to dress
up
products.

Smarties has dropped artificial colours with the result the blue variety
has
been axed. Sainsbury's recently announced a ban on artificial colours and
flavours from 120 own label soft drinks. This follows similar moves by
Marks &
Spencer and the Co-op.

The research, carried out by a team from Southampton University, appears to

confirm earlier studies suggesting additives can cause reactions, either
individually or as a cocktail.

The colours, tested on groups of three-year-olds and eight-to-nine year
olds,
were tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R (E124), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine

(E122), quinoline yellow (E104) and allura red AC (E129).

The team also looked at the effect of the preservative sodium benzoate
(E211), which is commonly used in soft drinks. Precise details of the
research
findings are being kept secret until they can be peer reviewed and
published in a
scientific journal.

See Food Additives - Colours, Preservatives & Enhancers for more info. CG

However, a source at Southampton University told the food industry's
magazine, The Grocer, that their results are in line with earlier findings,
published
in 2004.

The original research, which took place on the Isle of Wight, involved
giving
fruit drinks to children aged three. In some weeks, these were laced with
additives. Parents reported changed behaviour when the youngsters were
given the
additives.

However, the original findings were questioned because they relied on
anecdotal reports from parents while the fact the children were so young
made it
difficult to measure their behaviour in a meaningful way. Because of these
doubts,
a second tranche of research was commissioned following advice from an
expert
committee, which included Professor Howard.

The Founder of the Hyperactive Children Support Group, Sally Bunday, said
there is good evidence that artificial additives can have a harmful effect.


She said: "The consequences can be very serious for both children and
adults
who are sensitive to these artificial colours. "The reaction in children
can
be horrendous in terms of mood swings with crying, screaming, inability to
sleep.

"There can also be physical reactions such as difficulty in breathing on
skin
rashes. For a young person there is also a risk of quite angry mood
swings."

The founder of the organic brand Organix, Lizzie Vann, has been campaigning

for a ban on all artificial additives from children's food.

"The use of artificial additives in children's foods means we are
conducting
a long-term experiment on our children's health," she said.

"If the Government is serious about improving children's nutrition the ban
on
artificial food additives must be a priority."

The Food & Drink Federation, which speaks for manufacturers, said the
colours
and chemicals used by the industry are proven to be safe. "The use of food
additives is strictly regulated under European law," it said. "They must be

approved as safe by the appropriate European scientific committee before
they can
be used...Consumers' intake of food additives is also closely monitored.

"A recent European Commission report on 'Dietary Food Additive Intake'
indicated that consumption of all types of additives was within the strict
safety
limits set by the legislation. Particular attention was given to
consumption by
children."

The FSA and Southampton University refused to comment until the research
has
been officially published.

©2007 Associated Newspapers Ltd





  • [Livingontheland] Food Additives Tied To Child Behavior Problems, TradingPostPaul, 06/07/2007

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