# What the "activity and attention" warning on food colours means

> Some labels say a colour "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." Here is where that warning came from, what EFSA made of it, and how to read it.

Published: 31 October 2026 — Colours, E numbers, Label reading, Tartrazine

If you turn over a packet and read "Sunset Yellow (E110) may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children," you are not looking at marketing copy or a manufacturer's own choice. It is a legally required warning that applies in the European Union to a short list of colours. This article explains where it came from, what it says, and just as importantly what it does not say.

## Which colours does the warning cover?

The EU food additives regulation, (EC) No 1333/2008, requires the sentence "(name or E number of the colour) may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" for six colours:

- E102 Tartrazine (Yellow 5 in the US)
- E104 Quinoline Yellow
- E110 Sunset Yellow FCF (Yellow 6 in the US)
- E122 Carmoisine
- E124 Ponceau 4R
- E129 Allura Red AC (Red 40 in the US)

The trade press calls this group "the Southampton Six." According to law firm summaries, the requirement has applied [since 20 July 2010](https://cms.law/en/gbr/legal-updates/compulsory-warnings-on-colours-in-food-and-drink). The regulation itself is available [on EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R1333).

## Where the warning came from: the Southampton study

The trigger was a study by researchers at the University of Southampton, published in The Lancet in 2007 (McCann et al., [PubMed record](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17825405/)). It gave children from the general population one of two additive mixtures and measured their behaviour. Both mixtures contained artificial colours together with the preservative sodium benzoate. The authors reported an increase in measured hyperactivity in some children when they received the mixtures.

Two details matter. First, the study tested mixtures, so it cannot tell you which single substance, if any, was responsible. Second, the effect was a small difference in group averages, not a reaction that every child shows.

## What did EFSA conclude?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed the study in 2008. [Trade press coverage of the opinion](https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2008/03/14/EFSA-s-Southampton-verdict-No-call-to-change-additive-ADIs) reports that the panel found:

- "Limited evidence" of a small effect on activity and attention in some children.
- Results that were inconsistent across age groups, sexes, the two mixtures and the type of observer (parents, teachers or independent assessors).
- Unknown clinical relevance, and no dose-response data.
- No way to separate the effects of individual additives, because mixtures were tested.
- No basis, therefore, for changing the existing acceptable daily intakes (ADIs).

Both statements are true at once. The research showed a signal, and the scientific panel said the signal was not firm evidence of cause and effect. EU lawmakers took a precautionary route: they required a label, rather than banning the colours.

## What the warning does not mean

- It does not mean the product is "toxic" or banned. These colours are authorised in the EU.
- It does not mean every child will be affected.
- It is not medical advice. If you are worried about a child's behaviour, your child's doctor is the right person to ask.

## How to read this on a label

1. Find the word "colour" or "colourant" in the ingredients list. Colours appear by name (tartrazine) or by E number (E102).
2. If one of the six codes appears on a product covered by EU rules, the warning sentence should also be on the pack, in a conspicuous, legible place.
3. The same colour can appear under different names. Tartrazine, Yellow 5 and E102 are one substance, and so are Allura Red, Red 40 and E129.
4. The absence of a warning does not prove there is no colour. The product may come from outside the EU, or it may use a different colour. The ingredients list is always the source of truth.
5. Sweets, soft drinks, jellies and brightly coloured snacks are the categories where you will meet these colours most often.

## How these colours appear in LogicFood's research records

In LogicFood's additive research records, colours such as E102, E110 and E129 carry the highest risk level (High). That marker reflects the warning label and the studies described above. It is a prioritisation signal, not a ban and not a verdict that harm occurs. The sources behind these records include EFSA's assessments of tartrazine and Sunset Yellow and the Southampton study.

## In short

The "activity and attention" warning is a precaution that sits between a scientific signal and a cautious expert reading of it. By reading the ingredients list you can see whether these colours are present and make your own choice. This article only aims to make clear what the label is telling you.

Sources: [EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R1333) · [McCann et al., The Lancet 2007 (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17825405/) · [FoodNavigator, EFSA's Southampton verdict, 2008](https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2008/03/14/EFSA-s-Southampton-verdict-No-call-to-change-additive-ADIs) · [CMS, compulsory warnings on colours](https://cms.law/en/gbr/legal-updates/compulsory-warnings-on-colours-in-food-and-drink)

https://logicfood.app/en/blog/food-colour-attention-warning/