Saturday 25 February 2012

Shops strip 'red cordial' chemicals from kids' food


SUPERMARKETS are stripping artificial colours from hundreds of foods and drinks because customers are worried about bad behaviour in kids. 
 
Coles has fully removed added MSG and artificial colours from its private labels after a phase out started five years ago.

The retail giant says using natural and "nature identical" substitutes coincides with feedback showing one in three mums believes their children have had a reaction to artificial colours.

Coles head of quality Jackie Healing said many parents feared a "red cordial effect" of unruly children or other side effects.

Extracting colours or added MSG from about 350 Coles, Finest, Smart Buy and Organic products such as lollies, cordials, iced cakes, biscuits, corn chips, tacos and some tinned vegetables without harming taste was challenging.
Woolworths said its Select and Macro labels were already free of artificial colours and added MSG.
Aldi axed artificial colours from its food a year ago.

Food Intolerance Network spokeswoman Sue Dengate accused the nation's food regulator of downplaying problems such as restlessness, irritability, and concentration lapses.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand says some sensitive people suffered temporary headaches, numbness or tingling, flushing, muscle tightness and general weakness from large amounts of MSG.

But there was "no convincing evidence" it caused more serious reactions such as asthmatic attacks.

Alfred Hospital allergy expert Assoc Prof Jo Douglass said:

"Overall, the data to support food chemical and additive hypersensitivity is not very strong, unlike that for true food allergy."

Caulfield North mum Maria Kelty said her son Leo, 4, went through a phase of tantrums until a doctor said to avoid artificial colours.

"When food is automatically supplied without certain ingredients, it is easier than looking at labels with a whole list of things on them," Mrs Kelty said.


See the Official Coles News Release here.

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