A report in the medical journal, The Lancet, linked particular food additives to "hyperactive" behaviour amongst children. In September, Linda McAvan called for the European Food Standards Agency to ban these additives outright.
Euro-MPs in the Food Safety Committee this week were voting on new legislation which would require the so-called "azo-dyes" to be clearly labelled, and enabling the European Commission and national governments together to ban specific additives quickly if evidence comes to light that they are harmful.
Linda McAvan MEP said:
"Many of the parents I talk to, know that if their child eats a lot of a certain product, they are likely to become badly behaved and "hyper". Until last year, we didn't really have the scientific evidence to back up these anecdotal claims. Then in September the first piece of the jigsaw fell into place. MEPs in the Parliament's Food Safety Committee are demanding that companies make information on the negative effects of additives available to the authorities and parents. Only in this way can swift action be taken to withdraw harmful additives from the market and protect our children."
The proposals still need to be endorsed by national governments in the Council of Ministers and could become law by the end of the year.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. A British study from Southampton University showed that children who consume food containing azodyes (an additive which gives sweets and soft drinks a bright colour) can become hyperactive.
2. Images of Linda for use in print publications are available from her website: http://www.lindamcavanmep.org.uk/about_linda_mcavan.
3. When Parliament is sitting (usually Monday to Thursday) high-quality audio interviews for radio use can be arranged through Andrea Mott on 0032 (0) 496 381 402 or andrea.mott@quadrant.uk.com (see http://www.radioep.com/about.aspx for more information), or telephone interviews can be arranged through Linda's UK office on request.
For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on +32 479 790 053.
