Food additive fight

Reporter: Sophie Hull
Broadcast Date: September 09, 2008

Doctors, paediatricians, dieticians, ADHD specialists, united nationwide for the first time on a single issue, are calling for action.

There's nothing new in suggesting kids react to food colouring. But recent research has prompted governments the world over to change the recipe.

Campaigner and author Sue Dengate has been trumpeting this tune for decades. Her own children reacted badly to additives. The more research she did - the more she found other children suffered too. Thousands of them. From severe reactions with ADHD like symptoms to subtle fidgeting. Kids weren't tolerating the chemicals in their food supply.

"This is a very big deal. The regulators in England have been persuaded that the effects of food colours are the same as the effects of lead on children's IQ. Lead was banned from petrol to protect children so if food colours are doing the same thing - if they're having the same affect the also need to be banned," says Sue Dengate.

"There's no doubt that a lot of parents are really desperate because they're living with really difficult children and they do not realise that if they cut out some of these foods their children will be easier to live with," adds Sue.

Last year, the cause was given new weight thanks to a study published in The Lancet, the highly respected medical journal.

The study claimed most children suffered reduced abilities to learn and behave after coming into contact with six artificial colours in particular. Other nations took notice. Australia didn't. In fact, from next year food exported to Europe from Australia will have to carry warnings if certain colours are included.

Lydia Buchtman spoke to Today Tonight on behalf of FSANZ, the Food Standards Authority of Australia and New Zealand.

"It's an interesting study but the evidence is quite weak. Obviously if there are more studies in the future there's a number of options we can look at," says Lydia.

While her agency is dismissive of the study, governments in Britain and Europe found it very compelling. So much so, foods containing these colours: tartrazine (lemon yellow) 102, quinoline yellow 104, sunset yellow FCF 110, Carmoisine (red) (122), ponceau 4R (red) (124) allura red AC (129)) will carry warnings in EU countries and are becoming voluntarily banned in the UK. Here, parents are left to fend for themselves.

Michelle Van Lambaart is one of the thousands of parents who found out the hard way her children couldn't tolerate artificial colours. It's not easy keeping a constant vigil on encoded food labels. Even the most innocent looking item can carry an artificial colour. She wants Australian food authorities to make life easier for parents by following the UK and Europe's lead - and at the very least carry warnings on food.

"Our advice continues to be for parents to go and seek medical advice from their doctor or nutritionist about whether their child has a problem," says Lydia.

But if your local health practitioner has signed up to this list, it could save you the trouble. Even outside the medical profession: school principals, child care workers, politicians - all imploring FSANZ to clean up the food supply for the sake of our children.

"We're driving a whole generation of Australian kids crazy with six food additives that are unnecessary have no nutritional value and are simply added to gain professional advantage," says John Kaye.

Dietician Julie Mascie added: "As a dietician I strongly believe that these six food colours should be phased out of Australia's food supply - they provide no purpose no nutrition other than to make food look good - they should be banned and removed from our foods."

David Pisone, Shadow Minister for Education Adelaide: "These additives have been known to affect children's behaviour in school their ability to concentrate ... we allow up to 4000 food additives in our food here in Australia yet some European countries allow only seven."

Margaret Sasse, Gymbaroo Founder, Melbourne: "According to research these additives do not need to be in our food and if they insist on putting any of them in there then they should be on the labels so that parents know - it's not fair."

Dr Joe Kosterich - General Practitioner, Perth: "If they do no harm whatsoever, we could probably accept it, but as soon as there's the suggestion of even the slightest possible harm, then we really need to remove them from our food. The body does not need them."

The campaign and accompanying petition launched today will run for two months before being presented to FSANZ and the health and education ministers.