Asda has announced that it is removing artificial colours and flavours from all of its private label food and beverage products.
The decision comes just a week after details were leaked to the press of a study by researchers at Southampton University for the Food Standards Agency, which concluded that several artificial additives increase the risk of hyperactivity and unruly behaviour in young children.
The suspects reportedly include sunset yellow (E110), allura red AC (E129) and the preservative sodium benzoate.
Asda has pledged to remove any artificial colours or flavours from its 9,000 own label products, as well as aspartame, hydrogenated fat and flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate.
They will also meet the Food Standards Agency's salt reduction targets - two years ahead of the 2010 deadline.
The supermarket is spending £30m on reformulation. It says that in the main, taste will be unaffected. Artificial flavours will be replaced by natural alternatives.
Aspartame will be replaced by sucralose (described as "a sweetener made from sugar that tastes like sugar"). Aspartame has long been eyed with suspicion, even though the European Food Standards Authority last year reaffirmed its opinion that it is safe, in the light of the negative Ramazzini Foundation study linking it with cancer.
As for colours, Asda is taking out the likes of carmine (E120), erythrosine (E127), quinoline (E104) and sulphate ammonia caramel (E150d). Where necessary these will be replaced by natural colours derived from fruit and vegetables - but in many cases the colours will simply be taken out and not replaced.
Darren Blackhurt, Asda's food trading director, said: "We know that our customers, particularly those that are mums and dads, are becoming more and more concerned about what's in the food they buy."
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