Food additives, hyperactivity & children (2007)
Research has investigated food additives, hyperactivity and children. Lead researcher Professor Jim Stevenson says this study on food additives and hyperactive behaviour in children, carried out at Southampton University, shows that certain combinations of artificial food colours (tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R (E124), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122), quinoline yellow (E104) and allura red AC (E129) as well as the commonly used preservative sodium benzoate (E211) are linked to increases in hyperactivity.
McCann D et al., Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2007 Sep 5