KEY POINTS:
Green MP Sue Kedgley is calling on food regulators to turn down an application that would potentially allow a controversial food colouring back into children's food.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is considering an application from crafts business Golding Handcrafts to relax restrictions on the dye erythrosine so it can be used in icings for home cake decorators.
At present the pink dye it is banned from all New Zealand food except preserved cherries.
Ms Kedgley said erythrosine was an endocrine disruptor that altered thyroid hormone levels to the extent it was found to cause thyroid tumours in laboratory tests.
She said it could also cause rashes, hyperactivity and mood swings.
Ms Kedgley said if restrictions were relaxed it would lead to a return to its use in a wide range of foods consumed by children.
"Any small change to the levels of thyroid hormones in small children can seriously affect their development," she said.
"Small children don't usually eat maraschino cherries, but they do eat iced cakes and biscuits and if this application succeeds that's where this toxic chemical will end up."
Ms Kedgley said Golding should withdraw its application, but if it proceeded it should be turned down.
- NZPA
