Food colouring reintroduced

Burger King has brought back some of the food colours associated with possible hyperactivity in children in a small number of restaurants, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said.

The fast-food chain is using the colours in a six-month trial of the Coca-Cola Freestyle drinks dispensing system, which allows customers to choose from different colours.

The FSA said it had removed Burger King from its list of caterers and restaurants whose food and other products were free of the colours.

Coca-Cola said the presence of the so-called Southampton colours, named after the study which identified the behavioural link, were well below the “legally required acceptable daily intake”.