Peelable Fudge

What it is. A synthetic lemon yellow dye.

Why it is used. Colours soft drinks, sweets, sauces and snacks.

What the evidence says. One of the Southampton Six colours linked in a 2007 UK study to increased hyperactivity in some children. The effect is modest and does not affect every child, but it was enough for a mandatory on pack warning.

UK and EU require the label to warn it may affect activity and attention in children. Permitted in the US without that warning.

Assessed against UK FSA, EFSA. Full entry for E102

What it is. A synthetic orange yellow dye.

Why it is used. Colours squashes, sweets, snacks and desserts.

What the evidence says. Also one of the Southampton Six, carrying the same signal for hyperactivity in sensitive children.

UK and EU require the children's activity warning. Permitted in the US.

Assessed against UK FSA, EFSA. Full entry for E110

What it is. A bright white pigment used to make sweets, icing, sauces and coatings look opaque and white.

Why it is used. Purely cosmetic. It changes appearance, not taste or safety of the food.

What the evidence says. In 2021 the EU food safety body EFSA concluded it could no longer be considered safe as a food additive, mainly because possible genetic damage from the tiny particles could not be ruled out. That is a precautionary call rather than proof of harm in people.

Banned as a food additive in the EU since 2022. Still permitted in the UK and the US, which reached different conclusions on the same evidence. A clear case of the same additive, different rules.

Assessed against EFSA, UK FSA, US FDA. Full entry for E171

What it is. A gel forming fibre extracted from red seaweed.

Why it is used. Thickens dairy, plant milks, desserts and some processed meats.

What the evidence says. Food grade carrageenan is permitted. A degraded form called poligeenan is harmful, but that is not what goes into food. Some lab and animal work links carrageenan to gut inflammation, which keeps it under review, but human evidence is limited and mixed.

Permitted, including in organic food in many places, though a few specialist products avoid it as a precaution.

Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E407

What it is. A sugar alcohol, about half as sweet as sugar, which also holds moisture.

Why it is used. Used in sugar free sweets and gum, and to keep baked goods soft.

What the evidence says. Not a toxicity question at all. Sugar alcohols are poorly absorbed, so a large amount draws water into the gut and has a laxative effect. That is well established, predictable and dose dependent, which is why the label has to say so.

Permitted. Foods with more than 10 per cent polyols must carry the statement that excessive consumption may produce laxative effects.

Assessed against EFSA, UK FSA. Full entry for E420

What it is. A mild acid found naturally in citrus fruit, made commercially by fermentation.

Why it is used. Adds tartness, balances flavour and helps preserve. One of the most used additives in food.

What the evidence says. Safe at food levels. No credible health concern for the additive itself.

Permitted freely.

Assessed against EFSA, JECFA. Full entry for E330