This is ongoing as the information is quite large but I have decided to put it up on the blog, but it is work in progress.

In 1984 Food labeling gave us an insight into what was being put into our foods this allowed the consumer to see what was being added to these foods used for preservation and colouring but up until January 2009 there was no law that made it clear to the consumer what ingredients were used used to flavour food and drinks but thanks to an EU ruling this has now changed.

In spite of this labelling many of us still do not understand what the label is telling us, there is a mass of information including E numbers which we are not aware of what they mean so we tend to chuck it in the basket and not give it a second thought.  Sadly many now suffering the consequences of a build up of these synthetic chemicals both in body and mind.  It has been stated, by the people that recommend the amount of additives used, that most of them are at a safe level but I believe the concern is that we are eating food and drink with additives in larger quantities and we are feeding these additives to our children in the same quantities and over a short period time the food and drink laden with additives lead to, in some cases, dramatic changes in personality and behaviour, but why do foods need added chemicals – we are all drawn to certain colours and find some more attractive to our vision and pallet but maybe it is us the consumer who’s minds need to change regarding this.

Here I would like to list the additives put in our foods daily so you can make informative decisions for you and your children. It would also be an idea to check the behaviour of your children and indeed yourselves when eating food with E’s both before and after and possibly cut them out or at the very least, cut down. We are in a better position now then in the last twenty years as we are now growing our own vegetables and there is more choice in organic products but on the flip side of this the people who have the lowest income may not have a garden or the money to buy organic so reading the label and checking the additives may help people choose more wisely.

E220 Sulphur dioxide -Used in alcoholic beverages, beers, soft drinks, juices, cordials, used in all the stages of the production of wine, vinegar and potato products, dried apricots and other dried food. Interestingly any alcoholic drink above 1.2% strength does not require an ingredients label yet E220 is known to provoke asthma attacks and is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and disease, difficulty breathing and premature death. It is difficult to metabolise for those with impaired kidney function, triggers hypertension and emphysema, It also destroys Vitamins B1, B12 and E and is not recommended for consumption by children.

While we are mentioning wine it might be worthwhile noting that if you are a vegetarian or vegan and you are not aware, nearly all wines are produced with animal derivatives. They are;

Edible gelatine which is crushed bones normally from cows. Isinglass made from the swim-bladder of animal albumin ( a dried blood powder)

So unless the label states the letter ‘V’ for vegetarian or vegan you are better off leaving well alone.

Eggs – The colour of an egg yolk is measured on a scale from 1-15 most eggs that you eat on a daily basis have a colour reading of 11, however some manufacturers want a more orange appearance for the yolk and add orange pigments to the chicken feed in doing this they also pump the price up. Free- range eggs are not exempt from this tampering either and there is no law preventing this. Chickens that have a yellow colour to them have more than likely been given xanthophyll in their feed.The Fish industry is also another one that adds pigment dies not only for farmed Salmon but also for other fish, they can be dipped in a red die to give them that pink tinge. emmm lovely!!!

E110, commonly known as Sunset Yellow FCF and Orange Yellow S. It is a synthetic coal tar food colouring and an azo dye and is generally used in fermented foods. E110 is thought to worsen asthma and when taken in combination with benzoates it produces hypertension in children. Other effects of this additive is vomiting and severe weight loss. This E110 has been approved by the EU but has been banned in Norway.

Children’s food and drink that contain E110 or Sunset Yellow; Bob the builder Cake, Cheesy corn snacks by walkers, Clown cake by Asda, Football mixed sweets by Haribo, Fruit ‘n’ Grain Apple and Cinnamon bars by Asda, Fruit ‘n’ Grain Strawberry Bars by Asda,  Fruit Pastille Lollies Rowntree’s, Fruit Pastilles by Rowntree’s, Jelly Tots Rowntree’s, Jelly Pots Orange by Rowntree’s, jelly pots lemon and lime by Rowntree’s, Jewsters by Starburst, Kola Champion Flavoured Soft Drink By DG Jamaica, Let’s Party Cake by Lightbody, Little Madame Cake by Lightbody Celebration Cakes, Loony Tunes Taz Cake by Memory lane Cakes, M&M Minis Magic Marble Cake Mix by Green’s, M&M Minis Mini Muffin Cake by Green’s, Pizza Flavoured Doritos Crisps by Walkers, Red lemonade by Nash’s, Scooby Doo by Lightbody Celebration Cakes, Smarties by Nestle, Smarties Cake by Nestle, Smartprice Orange Jelly and also Strawberry Jelly by Asda,  Spiderman Cake by Lightbody, Star Mixed Sweets by Haribo, Sugar Animal Shapes by Supercook, Tangtastic Sour Mixed Sweets by Haribo, Tangy Cheese Flavoured Corn Chips by Walkers, Tizer by AG Barr, T&K lemonade (red) drink by C&C, Whiney the Poo Cake y Lightbody. There are many more but if you see this number you know that  possible effects.

Now you take these foods and drinks home for your children and you give them the following food and drinks which have additive E211 Benzoate  ( As stated above mixing the above E110 and E211 Benzoate causes hypertension in children) and you wonder why so many kids have behavioral problems, ADHD ( Attention Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder) and breathing related dis-ease.

E211 Benzoate; Apple and Blackcurrant Squash (no added sugar) by Safeway,  Apple Squash (no added sugar) by Asda , Barbecue Dip by McDonalds, Blackcurrant and Elderflower Flavoured Spring Water by Asda, Blackcurrent Ice Lollies by Ribena, Blackcurrant Squash (no added sugar) by Asda, C Vit by Smith Klein Beecham, Cherry by Sodastream, Citrus Fruit Crush by Asda

Its time to let these manufacturers know that we will refrain from buying their products unless they remove these ‘harm full’ additives.

See here for parents comments on additives and the affects they have noticed on their children – http://www.foodcomm.org.uk/parentsjury/add_3.htm

We have trusted manufactures believing that they have had and do have our best interest at heart but sadly these corporations only have profits and brand names to protect, maybe its not their total responsibility because as humans we have allowed people to make decisions for us. Thankfully humanity is starting to see clearly and make the right choices for themselves and their families. We are approaching a time when we must see what is real and what is an illusion, make decisions for ourselves and not follow the hype of the media, whether this is about food, our health and well being, vaccinations or levels of crime if we allow ourselves to be controlled and not make the choices for ourselves we cannot blame anyone else because there is always a choice.

Thanks to www.ukfoodguide.net/childrensfoodsanddrinks.htm for the information on children’s food products and thanks to ‘The New E For Additives by Maurice Hanssen and Jill Marsden. This book is available from Amazon and all good book stores.

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