Artificial colours in kids' food linked to cancer risk

Melbourne, July 18 (ANI): Australia may soon ban artificial food colours after a new research showed it may pose a cancer risk, as well as causing hyperactivity and allergic reactions in kids.

The study conducted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in the US recommended the common colours should be banned.

"These synthetic chemicals do absolutely nothing to improve the nutritional quality or safety of foods, but trigger behaviour problems in children and, possibly, cancer in anybody," said Michael F. Jacobson, CSPI executive director, co-author of the report, Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), along with its American counterpart the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said they have been closely looking at the new findings in the past week.

"We are currently assessing the data and if there is good scientific evidence, we can and will make changes," The Daily Telegraph quoted Lydia Buchtman from Food Standards Australia New Zealand as saying.

The CSPI said the colours were contaminated with known carcinogens that caused cancer in rats.

Annually manufacturers, worldwide pour about seven million kilograms of artificial colours into common foods such as biscuits, ice creams, cordials and confectionery but many consumers complain of adverse reactions. (ANI)