the cocktail of chemical preservatives and colourings

食物中含合成物和添味物等化學的都得小心

FOOD ADDITIVES AND BAD BEHAVIOUR

A British study has shown a link between food additives and bad behaviour in children. The study was commissioned by the UK's main food safety regulator. It suggests that the cocktail of chemical preservatives and colourings that many British children consume in snacks and sweets are associated with unruly conduct. There could also be a link with the inability of some children to concentrate. Some of the additives are already banned in continental Europe and the United States, but not in Britain. Stephen Beard reports.

cocktail (MIXTURE) Show phonetics
noun [C usually singular]
a mixture of different things, often an unexpected, dangerous or exciting one:
The inquest heard that the guitarist died from a cocktail of drink and drugs.
Cars produce a lethal cocktail of gasses.

《泰晤士報》說，食品添加物使得兒童行為異常。

英國食品標準機構對食品、副食品和飲料的人工添加物進行研究後表示，相信這些添加物會使得兒童過度活躍，並建議家長們減少含有添加物的食品。

研究人員相信，他們的發現將對立法管制英國的食品添加物起重要的影響。

食品人造色素使兒童脾氣暴躁

不過，英國政府被指責未能掌握保護兒童的機會，定出食品商使用食品添加物的最後期限。

《衛報》指出，研究發現，食品添加物和兒童過度活躍和脾氣暴躁有關，政府現在告訴家長們在購買食品和飲料時留意包裝上的成分說明。

報道說，英國政府將有關發現提交歐盟食品安全局，然後由該機構決定是否禁止所有食物人造色素。不過，這一程序引起了人們的憤怒反應。

負責這項研究的史蒂文森教授說，他"個人"認為，英國政府可以很輕易地採取較強硬的立場，取締食品人造色素等添加物。