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Synthetic colours in highly coloured foods

Consumption of synthetic food colours, especially at high levels, by children and adolescents may cause concern for some parents. Research has been undertaken to understand if there is a link between synthetic food colours and children’s behaviour.

Why manufacturers use synthetic food colours

The colour of food can influence how people perceive its quality and attractiveness. Synthetic colours are used by many food manufacturers because they are more stable across a wider range of conditions than natural colours and are generally cheaper.

The impact of synthetic food colours on children's behaviour

Behavioural studies into whether children become hyperactive after eating synthetic colours have been done. Some have indicated that there is a possibility that, for sensitive individuals, some colours might elevate hyperactive tendencies, however this remains uncertain. Studies examining links between synthetic food colours and hyperactivity are challenged by difficulties, such as how the hyperactive behaviour is observed, the differences between children, their environmental stimulation and so forth.

In September 2007, the UK Food Standards Agency released the results of research, by the University of Southampton, into the impact of two mixtures of synthetic food colourings at different doses, and also a preservative (sodium benzoate) on children's behaviour. While a relatively small effect was seen, not all children reacted the same way or consistently to these colours. Each of the mixes affected one group of children but not the other.

Three-year-olds were more reactive to the dose and combination of mixture A:

• Tartrazine (102)

• Ponceau 4R (124)

• Sunset yellow (110)

• Carmoisine (122)

• Sodium benzoate (preservative E211).

Eight to nine-year-olds were more reactive to the dose and combination of mixture B:

• Sunset yellow (110)

• Carmoisine (122)

• Quinoline yellow (104)

• Allura red (129)

• Sodium benzoate (preservative E211).

The study suggests there might be a link between children consuming one or a mixture of the food colours studied and hyperactive behaviour and it varies with age, dose and combination. Further research is needed to establish this conclusively. It is important to understand that behaviour is influenced by many factors, and despite the statistical significance of the study results, the effects seen were small and they could even have arisen by chance.

If you think your child has a food intolerance, NZFSA recommends you seek advice from a medical practitioner or accredited practising dietician.

Adverse reactions to synthetic food colours

Synthetic food colours, particularly tartrazine, have occasionally been implicated in cases of adverse reactions to food. Food colour induced asthma or other allergy-like reactions have been documented, but these cases are extremely rare and usually only occur in individuals who are sensitive to a wide range of environmental and dietary components. Asthma, urticaria/hives, and hyperactivity have also been associated with synthetic food colours for some people.

Safety assessment, consumption and regulation of food colours in New Zealand

In studies of dietary intake of colours, New Zealand children are unlikely to be putting their health at risk from excess consumption of synthetic food colourings because even high end consumers consume a fraction of the acceptable daily intakes which themselves have large safety margins built in. The safety of all natural and synthetic colours added to food sold in New Zealand is evaluated by FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand), which is the agency responsible for developing standards relating to all food additives. FSANZ approves the use of colours in food as specified under the Food Standards Code. The Code restricts the use of colours to foods where colour use is justified and places maximum levels of use for synthetic colours.

See About food additives - Food Standards Australia New Zealand [FSANZ]

Dietary exposure of synthetic colours for New Zealand children and adolescents

Estimates of exposure to food colours in the diet of New Zealand children and adolescents has been worked out by combining information from two studies:

• mean levels of food colours in confectionery and beverages from the 1999/2000 food colours survey; and

• food consumption information for children and adolescents obtained from the 2002 National Children’s Nutrition Survey (2002 CNS).

The 1999/2000 food colours survey was carried out to determine the levels of synthetic colourings in food available in New Zealand, which might reasonably be expected to contain elevated levels of colours (they were visually intensely coloured), and be targeted for consumption by children and adolescents (confectionery, beverages).

The 2002 CNS collected information on food eaten in the previous 24 hours for more than 3000 New Zealand children and adolescents. Average dietary exposures ranged from as low as 0.02 mg/day (erythrosine) to 2.6 mg/day (tartrazine).

Dietary exposure estimates were adjusted for differences in body weight and compared to the internationally agreed Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs). Average exposure estimates for all food colours considered were less than 5% of the relevant ADI. Dietary exposure estimates were also generated for two age-related subgroups (5-12 years and 13-15 years). Dietary exposure estimates for food colours (expressed on a per body weight basis) were generally higher for the younger age group. Average estimates for all food colours were however still less than 5% of the ADI.

The 2002 CNS data is a valuable resource for risk assessment as the dietary records for 3000+ individuals allows estimation of not only the average population dietary exposure, but also dietary exposure levels for ‘high’ consumers of artificially coloured foods. High consumers are often deemed to be those at or above the 95th percentile level. That is, if all dietary exposure estimates are placed in ascending order, the top 5% are taken to represent high consumers.

High consumer exposure estimates were at most 15% of the relevant ADIs.

Given that there is a large safety margin built into the ADI, dietary exposure to food colours by New Zealand children and adolescents is highly unlikely to present an unacceptable health risk.

The regulatory limits for synthetic colours in New Zealand

The total amount of colour someone might reasonably consume in a day or over their lifetime, from a variety of foods, is considered when setting limits of colours allowed in food. This ensures that the average intake does not normally cause any health effect for most people.

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code sets maximum permitted levels for synthetic colours. Under the Code, most synthetic colours are permitted in beverages to a maximum concentration of 70 mg/l (milligrams per litre) and in other foods to a maximum concentration of 290 mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram).

Exceptions are erythrosine and amaranth. Erythrosine is only permitted in preserved cherries, with a maximum concentration of 200 mg/kg. Amaranth has a range of specific permissions for various foods, including 30 mg/l in beverages and 300 mg/kg in confectionery.

Many animal toxicology studies have been carried out on synthetic food colours. For most colours no adverse effects were observed, even when colours were fed at the rate of 5% of the total diet. Typical human consumption of food colours would be less than 0.01% of the diet. The exceptions were high dose effects related to amaranth (calcium deposits in the kidneys) and erythrosine (impaired thyroid function). Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) for these colours have been set to be well below dose levels where effects were observed and also include large safety factors.

How do I know my food contains synthetic colours?

Ingredient labelling of food enables people to identify colours that been added to a food. Food labels must identify food additives, including colours, along with the other ingredients - by their name or by specific code number. For products sold unpackaged without a label, you may ask the seller for this information. If you want your child to avoid eating foods containing particular food colouring additives, read the food labels to learn which foods to avoid.

A full list of all the colours and additives that can legally be added to food available in New Zealand can be found in our Additives booklet.

Food additives – what they do and the additives allowed in New Zealand

Useful links

Advice about artificial colours in food [UK Food Standards Agency]

Effects of artificial colours on children's behaviour [FSANZ]

Understanding food labels – a guide to help you understand and interpret food labels

This page was last updated on 8 September 2008