Research for the Food Standards Agency is reported to have drawn a link between these additives and hyperactivity, lack of concentration and temper tantrums in children. "Consumers' intake of food additives is closely monitored'" which is good to know .....Artificial additives used in popular soft drinks and food should carry health warnings, campaigners have claimed. They point out that these same chemicals – mainly vivid colours and preservatives – are required to carry warnings when used in medicines. The artificial colours under the spotlight are E102 (tartrazine), E110 (sunset yellow) and E124 (ponceau red), which are used in soft drinks, cakes and sweets. The preservatives include E211 (sodium benzoate), E220 (sulphur dioxide) and E223 ( sodium metabisulphite). When used in medication, warnings such as "may cause allergic reactions" or "mildly irritant to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes" are included on the packaging. A third reads "may rarely cause severe hypersensitivity reactions and bronchospasm" or difficulty in breathing. Yet according to pressure group the Food Commission, at least one of these chemicals is present in a range of soft drinks including Diet Coke, Ribena, Irn-Bru, Vimto, Dr Pepper, Lucozade Energy, Fanta and Robinsons orange squash. (Uk Daily Mail)
