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Additives and preservatives. What are these and should we be concerned? Monosodium Glutamate, Butylated Hydroxyanisole, Tartrazine, - these sound like words from a foreign language course. As consumers we are bombarded with E numbers for example E951 and E123 and no these are not routes on a road map. These numbers and names denote substances that have been added to our foods. After standing in a shop and reading food labels, you have every right to ask yourself why you never majored in Chemistry at varsity and why learning Biochemistry at school is not a compulsory lifeskill subject.

As parents we have the added responsibility of feeding our children healthy, nutritious foods. This is what makes food labels so overwhelming. On the one hand the front of the box says trans fat free, cholesterol free and low GI. Turn the box over and you read E129, E210, MSG, F216. Now you are officially confused. Your toddler is screaming in the trolley seat, you need to get home to your other children and now you have to make a quick decision about the product in your hand. Sound familiar.

Firstly what is a food additive? A food additive is any substance added to food primarily for preservation purposes and to enhance colour and taste. The question we ask ourselves is how harmful are these additives? Despite the fact that food additives are extensively investigated before they are allowed to be added to foods, scientific investigation is known to have its own limitations, which may probably explain the continued reports of adverse effects on an individual basis. Studies now indicate that some additives may indeed adversely impact the behaviour of some children in the general population including children with a history of hyperactivity and related disorders. There is strong evidence to suggest allergic reactions to certain food additives with a range of different consequences. Sodium benzoate for example can affect children with asthma as well as cause stomach upset in certain individuals. MSG and tartrazine have been implicated in hyperactivity disorder and Autism behaviour.

Some food for thought; Keep it simple. The more convenient and instant a food is the higher the amounts of additives and preservatives present. Below you will find a list of some of the more harmful additives to avoid. The more raw foods and simple - home cooked foods you feed your family the easier it is to avoid additives. Be aware, however, that not all ‘raw’ foods are necessarily additive free.

With today’s chemical farming, even the old saying that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” must be questioned. For the worm one brief journey across the average apple is enough to kill it…so what can you do to protect yourself?

1. Select organic fruit and vegetables wherever possible.
2. Wash or peel non organic produce.
3. Choose fruit and vegetables in season. This means that your exposure to the chemicals to delay ripening, prolong shelf life, preserve colour and so on will be limited.

Not all methods of food preservation is bad. Because food is so important to survival, food preservation is one of the oldest technologies used by human beings. Different ways and means have been found and improved for the purpose. Boiling, freezing & refrigeration, pasteurizing, dehydrating, pickling are the traditional few. Sugar and salt are also often used as preservatives. To date these are still the healthiest options. You should aim to eat 80% of your diet as preservative free as possible. Remembering that home preparation is the better option. The other 20% will cover those times when you just can’t avoid those dreaded E numbers and names.

Article by Kath Megaw RD(SA)
Paediatric Dietician and Little Cooks Club
www.littlecooks.co.za