It can be sometimes difficult to understand what ingredients are in the packaged foods we buy.
So, we’ve tried to list out some ingredients that you should definitely watch out for:
Colouring
These are often used to make poor quality foods look appealing.
The Southampton Six Azo Dyes have links to health problems in small children and in the EU, these have a voluntary removal from all children’s foods. If any food for children contains them, legally in the EU, they must display a warning statement about potential effects on children’s behaviour.
In particular:
Sunset Yellow (E110)
Quinoline Yellow (E104)
Carmoisine (E122)
Allura Red (E129)
Tartrazine (E102)
Ponceau 4R (E124)
Preservatives
These are known to have a negative impact on health and have been linked to hyperactivity in children when they are combined with colouring.
In particular:
Sodium Benzoate (E211)
Sulphur Dioxide (E220)
Flavour enhancers & flavourings
Flavourings disguise the flavour of real food.
Flavour enhancers are banned under regulation for children under 3 in the EU, although still found in many savoury snacks.
Look for ingredients that add flavour such as herbs, spices, fruit and vegetables.
In particular:
Monosodium Glutamate (E621)
Artificial sweeteners
These are banned in foods for children under the age of 3 in the EU, but are found in all sorts of food items, often those marked as low sugar.
In particular:
Sodium Saccharin
Aspartame
Acesulfame K
Starches or thickeners
These are unnecessary cheap ingredients used to bulk out foods. We need to choose foods without them.
In particular:
Modified maize starch
References:
https://www.food.gov.uk/science/additives/foodcolours
http://www.ukfoodguide.net/e211.htm
http://www.ukfoodguide.net/e220.htm
