Warning statements for food coloring

In January 2009 Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 on food additives came into force. The Regulation defines the labeling of products comprising food coloring.

In January 2009 Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 on food additives came into force. The Regulation defines the labeling of products comprising food coloring.

In particular foods comprising synthetic azo dyes must be labeled with warning labels since July 2010. Besides their E number or common name, the synthetic azo dyes, otherwise known as the ?Southampton Six? (sunset yellow (E110), quinoline yellow (E104), carmoisine (E122), allura red (E129), tartrazine (E102), and Ponceau 4R (E124)) must bear the following warning statement: “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”.

Food and beverage producers had less than 4 months to either reformulate the recopies or make sure that the warning statement is correctly displayed on packaging. According to an article published on Spiegel-online today, the consumer advice center of Hamburg (Germany) tested 13 different sweets on the correct labeling ? none bore the correct warning statement .

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