Food additives are added to foods for a range of reasons (see p92), and are either synthetically produced or naturally derived. Their use is regulated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, which assesses the safety of all additives and recommends the types and amounts that can be used in foods, including those regularly eaten by young children.
How do I identify food additives?Some processed foods contain small quantities of synthetic additives, but many companies are now moving towards more natural sources. Examples of naturally occurring additives include salt, vitamin C or ascorbic acid (300), which is found in fruit, or lecithin (322), which is naturally occurring in foods such as egg yolks, soya beans, peanuts and maize.
In Australia, food additives are listed on product labels alongside other ingredients, which are all featured in descending order by weight (flavours are an exception and don’t need to be identified). Sometimes the additive name is spelt out in full, other times it will be represented by a code number: for example, colouring cochineal can also be listed as colouring (120) and preservative sodium sulphite can alternatively be listed as preservative (221).
GALLERY: Healthy family meals on a budget
So what foods are they usually in?Artificial colours are common and can be found in sweet and savoury foods, confectionery, sweet drinks including cordials and soft drinks, medicines and breakfast cereals.
Preservatives are also very common and include:Sorbates (listed as 200-203), used in processed fruit and vegie products and sweet drinks such as soft drinks and some cordials.
Benzoates (listed as 210-213), used in most soft drinks, diet drinks, cordials and juice drinks.
Sulphites (listed as 220-228), used in bread, processed meat such as sausages, seafood such as prawns, dried fruit, prepared salads, fruit salads and other fruit and vegie items, including drinks.
Nitrates/nitrites (249-252), used in processed meats such as ham, salami and devon.
Antioxidants (310-312, 317-321), used in oils and margarines to prevent rancidity, chips, fried snack foods and fast foods.
Glutamates (620-624) used in tasty foods such as flavoured noodles, chips, crackers, sauces and fast foods. Glutamates are in hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP), ‘plant protein’, yeast extract, caseinate, broth, stock and ‘natural flavourings’.
Are they truly safe?For most kids, foods that contain additives are safe and there’s no need for concern about your tot eating them as part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, a small percentage of the population may react to certain additives (though more children are intolerant to common foods such as peanuts, milk or eggs than to additives).
Reactions can be caused by an immune-system response or a chemical reaction, where the body responds to harmless food as if it were toxic. Symptoms of a reaction can include hives or diarrhoea, digestive disorders and respiratory problems such as asthma. The additives most commonly known to cause reactions in children include:* Flavour enhancer monosodium glutamate (621).
* Colourings: tartrazine (102), sunset yellow (FCF110), yellow (2G107) and cochineal (120).
* Preservatives: benzoates 210, 211, 212 and 213; nitrates 249, 250, 251 and 252; and sulphites 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225 and 228.
* Artificial sweetener aspartame (951).
If you’re concerned that your munchkin may be sensitive to a food additive, visit your GP or an accredited dietitian who specialises in food sensitivities.
Some additive colours have been found to have potentially harmful effects. These include yellow colour tartrazine, which in children has been linked to dermatitis, asthma attacks, hives, thyroid tumours and hyperactivity among other things. Red colouring ponceau 4R has also been linked to asthma and is even considered carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in some places. Because of the potential danger of the additive, ponceau 4R is now illegal in both Norway and the United States.
What about ADHD?Whether or not the presence of preservatives and/or colourings can cause or enhance hyperactive behaviours in children is still a controversial issue, though there does seem to be some evidence that kids who do have disorders such as ADHD may be affected by some naturally occurring foods and some food additives.
A recent study of 297 children from three to nine years of age provided evidence of increased hyperactive behaviour after they consumed a mixture of food colourings and the preservative sodium benzoate.
If you want to know more, ask an accredited dietitian. After all – you are what you eat!
