E-numbers on trial

These are the six food colourings and one preservative which have been linked to behavioural problems in children:

• Tartrazine (E102) – yellow colouring, or mixed with blue, to make green, it is found in many soft drinks, sweets, lollies, jams and sauces.



• Quinoline yellow (E104) – yellow/lime green dye found in some soft drinks and sweets




• Sunset yellow (E110) – yellow/orange dye found in some orange squashes and jellies, sweets and jams.



• Carmoisine (E122) – used to colour some sweets, drinks, jellies and jams red



• Ponceau 4R (E124) – red dye used to colour sweets, jellies and tinned fruit



• Allura red (E129) – red colouring added to drinks and sweets



• Sodium benzoate (E211) – preservative used in soft drinks and sauces