The national media reports today that the Sudan 1 food scare could be the tip of the iceberg.

It is reported that international health chiefs are to launch a new investigation into the safety of ingredients used in thousands of food products consumed every day in Britain.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) are to reassess the status of 11 sweeteners and additives currently used in thousands of items on sale in shops, amid concerns they could be damaging to health. The foods include tinned soups and ready meals, products that often include vegetables amongst their ingredients.

The list of products contaminated by chilli powder containing the illegal industrial dye Sudan 1 has now reached 474.

Supermarkets have pulled the offending foods and ready meals off their shelves after they were found to be tainted with the dye.

The company at the centre of the scare, Premier Foods, is expected to lose more than £100 million because of the problem, which will take the gloss off an expected announcement of profits of more than £125m later this week.

The Food Standards Agency has come under criticism for failing to stop the scare before it happened. It reacted by warning the food industry to "clean up its act" or face prosecution.

Topics