Natural isn't always good

The Food Standards Agency's list of firms producing products free from the 'Southampton Six' food colourings continues to grow. The colours are: sunset yellow FCF (E110), quinoline yellow (E104), carmoisine (E122), allura red (E129), tartrazine (E102) and ponceau 4R (E124), which are now associated with possible hyperactivity in young children.

Add the latest European Commission additives regulation (1333/2008), which requires any food with these colours to bear a health warning, and surely we are looking at the beginning of the end for synthetic food colours? For example, a food containing tartrazine must bear the warning: 'Tartrazine may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children' from July 20, 2010.

It is surprising that, despite the European Food Safety Authority's reservations about taking up the findings of the Southampton study, the new regulations went ahead anyway. The alternative is to use natural colours.

We shouldn't forget that approved synthetic dyes have undergone extensive toxicological testing. Natural isn't necessarily good. After all, salmonella and listeria are 100% natural!

I feel sorry for food manufacturers. Consumer studies have shown that colour is the first characteristic to be noticed when choosing foods. There are several good reasons to use colour in foods. Added colour can emphasise the flavour of a product, replace colour lost during processing or storage and improves batch-to-batch uniformity.

Leatherhead Food International's latest market research report on food additives estimates the global market for food colours at more than $1.1bn. Sales of natural colours represent 31% of the market and will soon overtake synthetics.

So, despite the pincer movement against synthetic dyes and the increasing difficulties in making natural claims, I don't think we'll be switching to colour-free foods at any time soon!

''Dr Paul Berryman Chief executive officer Leatherhead Food International www.leatherheadfood.com''