The findings, from Southampton University, raise the possibility of parents suing food manufacturers in the same way tobacco firms have been pursued by cancer victims in the U.S. The study could also mean the industry will have to reformulate a vast array of children's products.
Some supermarkets and manufacturers have pre- empted the study by announcing bans on suspect additives in sweets, cakes and soft drinks.
The FSA has cloaked the findings in secrecy but its experts are expected to tell parents the only way to avoid any risk is to cut the additives from their children's diet. Health campaigners, however, believe a more stringent legal ban is necessary. The risk of allergic reactions, such as breathing problems and asthma, from certain additives was established more than 20 years ago.
There have been similar concerns-about the impact on brain development but nothing strong enough to convince Whitehall's public health experts.
