Additional labelling for certain colours to be mandatory from 20 July 2010
Friday, 25 June 2010
From 20th July 2010, food and drink containing sunset yellow (E 110), quinoline yellow (E 104), carmoisine (E 122), allura red (E 129), tartrazine (E 102) or ponceau 4R (E 124) will be required to display the following warning message:
“Name or E number of the colour(s): may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
The warning label for these six colours, often referred to as the ‘Southampton colours’, was included in Article 24 of Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives. The requirement applies to all products placed on the market from 20 July onwards, whereas foods placed on the market or labelled before this date can continue to be marketed until their use-by or minimum durability date.
This additional labelling applies to all food and drink products, with the exception of foods where the colour(s) has been used for the purposes of health or other marking on meat products or for stamping or decorative colouring on eggshells. In addition alcoholic drinks containing alcohol above 1.2% by volume do not need to carry the warning.