Shelby: The list below shows colourants and preservatives that have been shown to affect mood and behaviour. Those of us that try to follow a healthy diet are often horrified to discover up to 20 additives in our food.

Artificial Colors

(in sweets, drinks, takeaways, cereals and many processed foods)

• 102 tartrazine, 
• 104 quinoline yellow, 
• 107 yellow 2G, 
• 110 sunset yellow, 
• 122 azorubine, 
• 123 amaranth, 
• 124 ponceau red, 
• 127 erythrosine, 
• 128 red 2G, 
• 129 allura red, 
• 132 indigotine, 
• 133 brilliant blue, 
• 142 green S, 
• 151 brilliant black, 
• 155 chocolate brown Natural color, 
• 160b annatto (in yoghurts, ice creams, popcorn, etc. 160a is a safe alternative)

Preservatives

• Preservatives200-203 sorbates (in margarine, dips, cakes, fruit products) 
• 210-213 benzoates (in juices, soft drinks, cordials, syrups, medications) 
• 220-228 sulphites (in dried fruit, fruit drinks, sausages, and many others) 
• 280-283 propionates (in bread, crumpets, bakery products) 
• 249-252 nitrates, nitrites (in processed meats like ham)
• Synthetic antioxidants - in margarines, vegetable oils, fried foods, snacks, biscuits, etc 
• 310-312 Gallates 319-320 TBHQ, BHA, BHT (306-309 are safe alternatives)
• Flavor enhancers - in flavored crackers, snacks, takeaways, instant noodles, soups 621 MSG 627, 631, 635 disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, ribonucleotides

Hi Shelby, Some synthetic food colorings (including some red dyes) are known to be problematic, particularly with children. There are some non nutritive food sweeteners such as aspartame that despite being approved by the FDA are strongly suspected to have adverse effects on appetite and may even be linked to some neurological diseases.