Parents Say No to Artificial Food Colouring

smartiesAustralian parents are demanding the Government ban the use of artificial colouring in children’s foods and beverages.

The motherInc Food Colouring Poll run during February and March revealed that parents have serious concerns about the levels of artirficial food colouring their children are consuming.

Over 1000 readers took part with 95 per cent of pollsters saying yes to Government legislation phasing out the use of artificial food colouring.

The poll found that 60 percent of parents reported significant side effects when their children consumed artificial food colourings. The top three side effects included:

  • Impatience and irritability
  • Loss of concentration
  • Hyperactivity

Claudia Keech, founder of motherinc, is amazed that Australia seems to be lagging behind the rest of the world on the issue of artificial colouring in food.

“The poll was designed to gauge concern about the presence of artificial colouring in children’s food and showed that parents believe it seriously affects their children’s behaviour. When asked if they would like the Australian Government to follow the European model and phase out and eventually ban these additives, 994 participants polled yes”.

The poll also highlighted the confusion parents feel trying to decipher on pack labelling, with 510 respondents not sure how to interpret the numbers in the ingredients list.

It also revealed that 80 percent of respondents would be happy to pay more for products that do not contain artificial food colouring.

Natural alternatives are already in use with long time Australian favourites such as Cottees jellies, Paddle Pops, Fanta and Deep Spring Mineral Water already using natural colours in the manufacturing process. According to their own labelling, manufacturers of products such as Sunkist, Aeroplane jelly, Froot Loops, M&M’s and other confectionery are still using artificial colours.

One of the most exciting results of the poll was that it generated national media stories in newspapers and on television. Some stories even featured our pollsters, so a big thank you to them and to all of you for taking the time to complete the poll.

Five simple steps to help avoid artificial food colouring

  1. Avoid six of the most commonly used artificial food colourings. They will appear on the ingredients list as 102, 104, 110, 122, 124 and 129.
  2. Try to buy brands that use natural colours as outlined in the ingredients list.
  3. Encourage manufacturers to adopt natural colour alternatives by boycotting their brands.
  4. Email your local member for parliament or contact your State or Federal minister to tell them how you feel.
  5. Encourage your kids to read food labels.
  6. Talk to friends and share information about what brands use natural food colouring.
Comments (8)add
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written by Amy , June 04, 2009
i hope that the government does ban artifical colouring. I recently had an incident with my 7 year old son who unknowing to me ate 7 mini packet of the cheaper variety of smarties. The way to discribe his behaviour after consuming them was a drug addict coming down from a high. This was trumatic for me as a parent to see my behave this way when he is usually a loving energetic boy. To this day i have never and will never purchase these lollies again. I don't want my children to miss out on the finer things in life but i will never put my child or myself through that experience. I think for our children's future we ban artificial colouring and the goverment would have my FULL support.
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written by Jodi P , June 17, 2009
Yes I agree that artificial colours should be banned. i have a child who reacts badly to most of them. However that is not to say that all natural colours are good either. For example Cochineal (120) is a red colour that is derived from crushed beetles and is linked to hyperactivity (from Additive Alert). They also give a couple of other examples too.

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written by Tanya Johnson , August 14, 2009
My 5 yr old son had a huge reaction to 102 and 122 colours in a toffee apple which he ate the whole thing, hyperative, inattentive and impatient, just could not sit still and lasted well into the next day. I wish that governments would listen to these studies and realise the harm done to our society by using these additives.The stress that it causes is unbelievable.
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written by Steven Pace , December 11, 2009
Naturally derived food colourings are preferable, as they have many applications, and these additives are proving to be quite effective despite having some limitations such as sensitivity to heat, PH changes, and light. Just as there are limitations to using boiled beets as a food colour, we should be more tolerant of the limitations in the brilliance or consistency of a colour. There are food manufacturers who are now using physical extraction and water rather than chemical solvents or additives to extract the pigments from fruit and vegetables to use as food colourings as an alternative to toxic petrochemical based food dyes.
I believe in using antioxidants such as beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene, which are high in concentration, extracted within a range of 90-95% purity as determined by HPLC analysis. It may not be water soluble and it may not therefore come in a nice dropper bottle, but as my packages are vacuum sealed they are packed in one gram sachets. Although a little messy, once immersed in oil, they are high potent single active ingredient pharmaceutical grade antioxidants.

I like having control over the ingredients, as if you understand the synergistic effects of antioxidants and want to adapt them to your specific needs you have both a nutritional supplement and food colour to use in food fortification.
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written by Ashley , February 24, 2010

I am writing a report and i say no to bad food beacause it can ruin our fat and our brains before tests or important things in our life!
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written by Helena Taylor , April 19, 2010
I have a 9 year old and as soon as she consumed some Aeorplane Jelly the other night the hyperactivity, emotional behaviour, and irritability had set in. Iam in favour of eliminating colours in our childrens diets and I wish the government would do something about this immediately. Why is the rest of the world so far ahead in this than Australia. You have my vote elimination of colours and additives.
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written by Michelle , November 01, 2011
I agree, artificial colourings should be phased out. I also agree that it is not just artificial colourings that are the problem, as one person said, cochineal is a natural colouring but it causes problems. Another problematic natural additive is anatto (160b). It is an off-white colour and used in margarine, yoghurt, ice-cream... It causes severe hypersensitivity in my son. Something that makes me really mad is that manufacturers can put all these ticks on boxes to make it look as if there is nothing harmful, when if fact it contains flavour enhancers like MSG. Flavour enhancers give my son symptoms similar to Tourett's Syndrome (motor and vocal tics). They are extremely bad but many people are fooled into believing they are buying something good for their children if it has ticks all over it.
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written by discount birkenstock sandals on sale , October 23, 2012
When you are sad, Swarovski will cheer you. When you are happy, Swarovski will liven you. When you are lonely, Swarovski will accompany you. ,http://www.birkenstock-sandals.me.uk
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