Quoted Text

Food dyes and sodium benzoate affect children's behavior

University of Southampton researchers have confirmed a link, long suspected by parents, between food additives and behavior. The 6-week placebo-controlled study of over 300 children found that a variety of common food dyes and the preservative sodium benzoate - an ingredient in many soft drinks, fruit juices, salad dressings and other foods - increased hyperactivity and decreased attention span in a wide range of children, not just those diagnosed with learning problems. The Lancet - Vol. 370, Issue 9598, 3 November 2007, Pages 1560-1567.