6th May 2008 - MEP backs moves against "hyperactivity" additives

Linda McAvan has backed a vote in the European Parliament in Brussels this morning to toughen legislation on some potentially harmful food additives, which have been linked to hyperactivity in children.

Last year 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 those additives outright.

Euro-MPs in the Food Safety Committee this morning 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.
 
Ms McAvan 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 a "hyper". Until last year, we didn't really have the scientific evidence to back up those anecdotal claims. Then in September the first piece of the jigsaw fell into place. What MEPs in the committee have done is to propose a requirement that companies give parents better information on labels of products that use these "azo-dyes". We also want new powers to enable swift action to take additives off the market if and when future evidence comes to light."

The proposals still need to be endorsed by a vote of the whole European Parliament, and by national governments in the Council of Ministers, before they can become law.