BMJ  2008;336:687 (29 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39527.401644.DB (published 20 March 2008)

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European agency rejects links between hyperactivity and food additives

¹ Brussels

The European Food Safety Authority has rejected suggestions in a study by researchers at Southampton University last year of a link between hyperactivity in children and two mixtures of food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate (Lancet 2007;370:1560-7; doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61306-3).

In a highly critical assessment, the authority points to considerable uncertainties, lack of consistency, and absence of information in the study, which was commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency.

As a result, the authority, which advises the European Union on food safety, maintained that there is no basis for changing present recommendations on the acceptable daily intake of the food colours or sodium benzoate.

After a request from the European Commission, the Parma based authority asked its panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids, and food contact materials to assess the study’s findings that the colourings and preservative in the diet led to more hyperactivity in 3 . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Kemp, A. (2008). Food additives and hyperactivity. BMJ 336: 1144-1144 [Full text]  

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