Campaigners have come out to commend the Food Standards Authority after it recommended food colourings should be removed from foods.

The FSA wants the E numbers to be removed from food products because of an "accumulating body of evidence" that they are associated with child hyperactivity.

It made the recommendation after researchers at Southampton University looked at the effect of food colouring on behaviour.

The Children's Food Campaign, which called on the FSA to ban additives linked to hyperactivity in children, welcomed the recommendation.

Spokesman Richard Watts said: ''This decision is good news for children and parents, who have known for many years that these additives affect children's behaviour.

''The FSA had little choice other than to take this step as soon as they received scientific evidence that these additives were about as harmful to children as leaded petrol.'' He added: ''We are very disappointed that the food industry continues to produce new products that contain these additives and we call on them to immediately withdraw any product containing these harmful additives.'' The Food Commission's Action on Additives campaign also welcomed the recommendation.

Spokeswoman Anna Glayzer said: ''We are delighted that the FSA has put its duty to the consumer first in its decision to recommend an EU ban.

''We will be keeping a close eye on the industry to see what effect the voluntary ban has. We will also continue to lobby the European Commission on this issue.

''The onus is now on the European Commission to follow the example of the FSA and act for benefit of the consumer. The colours are totally unnecessary and a risk to children's health. There is no public benefit whatsoever in allowing their continued use.'' Debbie Robinson, director of food retail marketing at the Co-operative Group, said: ''The FSA's latest announcement supports the Co-op's decision back in 2005 to ban a range of commonly-used colours, including those used in the Southampton University study, in all our own-label food and drink products because of potential links to food intolerance and concerns about children's diets.

''In line with our commitment to remove artificial colours and preservatives wherever possible, we have already removed sodium benzoate from the majority of our products and are actively working towards eliminating it from the range for July 2008.' Darren Blackhurst, food trading director at Asda, said: ''We know our customers are becoming more and more concerned about what's in the food they buy and we want to do all we can to make natural, healthy food as affordable and accessible as possible for everyone.

''We've worked overtime for the last few years to strip out unnecessary additives such as artificial colours and flavours from all our own label products.

''We now want to do whatever we can to encourage and help other retailers and big brands to follow suit and welcome the FSA's action.''