Children who have allergies or asthma may also have an allergic reaction, or experience hyperactivity, to certain food additives - chemicals added to foods to add colour or as a preservative.
Sulphites, benzoates and tartrazine are food additives that may cause a skin rash known as hives or bring on an asthma attack.
These food additives are listed as follows:
1. Sulphites: sulphur dioxide, or E220; other sulphites may be listed as E221, E222, E223, E224, E226, E227 and E228 - sulphites are used in a wide variety of foods, particularly soft drinks, sausages, burgers, dried fruits and vegetables, as preservatives.
2 .Benzoates: Benzoic acid or E210; other benzoates may be listed as E211, E212, E213, E214, E215, E218 and E219 - they are found most often in soft drinks, where the are added to prevent the growth of yeasts and moulds.
3. Tartrazine: Listed as E102, it's added to soft drinks, sweets, sauces and other foods to give a yellow colour - allergic reactions to tartrazine include hives, dermatitis, asthma and a runny nose.
Hope it helps!