new labelling requirement for some food colours
From 20 July 2010, any food or drink which contains the colours
Sunset yellow, Quinoline yellow, Carmosine, Allura red, Tartrazine
or Ponceau 4 R must provide the following additional information on
the food label – “name or E number of the colour(s): may have an
adverse effect on the activity and attention in children”.
This additional labelling requirement applies to both prepacked
food which is already required to be labelled with the name or
E-number of any colours used in the product and products such as
edible ices and flour confectionery that are currently required to
have a notice in a prominent position near where they are sold
stating they contain colour additives, if they contain any of the
above colours.
The additional warning information is also required where one of
the specified food colours is supplied directly to the consumer or
when a colour is sold from one business to another, or when
intermediate products containing these colours are sold business to
business.
There are transitional provisions whereby foods placed on the
market or labelled before 20 July 2010 which do not comply with
this requirement may be marketed until their date of minimum
durability or use by date.
Foods where the colour(s) has been used for the purposes of
health or other marking on meat products of for stamping or
decorative colouring on eggshells and drinks containing more than
1.2% by volume of alcohol, are exempt from the new labelling
requirement.
