Melbourne-based Kathleen Daalmeyer and Jenny Ravlic set up Additive Education several years ago after their children experienced the side effects of food additives.

"Our children have changed from being argumentative, defiant, teary, annoying, unfocused children who had sleeping and health problems, to ones who enjoy each other's company, sleep well, and can focus on school work without coughs, rashes and tummy aches," Ms Daalmeyer said.

They believe their experience has been confirmed through new research by Southampton University in England, which found increased hyperactivity in young children consuming mixtures of some artificial food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate.

But despite the findings - and UK plans to ban six food colours - Ms Daalmeyer said Australia's industry groups were ignoring the results.

"The [Southampton] research is gold standard, it was double-blind and placebo-controlled, but the science of doubt still seems to be winning."

Food producers have been asked to withdraw the six food colours in the UK and the European Parliament voted to label foods containing E110, E104, E122, E129, E102 and E124 with the warning "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children".

Additive Education has joined WA-based group Additive Alert and the Food Intolerance Network to form the Kids First Campaign, which last week wrote to food standards authority Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), asking it to follow the UK's lead and ban the additives. More than 100 "significant Australians" agreed to sign the letter, but not all were convinced.

The six-week study involved about 300 three and eight year olds, who were given a daily drink with food colours and benzoate or plain fruit juice.

Professor Jim Stevenson, who led the UK research, said the results provided "clear evidence," - however the Australian Food and Grocery Council described it as "flawed".