Researchers at Southampton University said developmental damage from seven food additives is equal to the effect of elevated lead levels on children's IQ, a study by Southampton University found.

Britain's Food Standards Agency plans to meet Thursday to consider recommendations that manufacturers voluntarily remove six of the food additives from their products -- tartrazine, quinoline yellow, sunset yellow, carmoisine, ponceau, and allura red. Further research has been suggested for the seventh additive, the preservative sodium benzoate, the researchers recommended.