Beware of additives!

Isa would love to eat colourful fruit gums every day. Her mum, however, is worried because the small print on the packaging confuses and unsettles her. In addition to the main ingredient sugar, standard fruit gums contain acidifiers, flavourings and coating agents. Lisa's mum can neither categorise many of the terms nor assess whether they are safe or harmful for her daughter.

Over 300 food additives are authorised by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office. They are labelled with E numbers. The «E» stands for Europe and edible. Additives must be safe when consumed throughout life.

Additives are categorised into different series groups. For example, the 100 numbers stand for colourants, the 200 numbers for preservatives and so on. It is not possible to tell from the E number whether an additive is of natural or synthetic origin, but it can be looked up online.
Additives are only found in pre-processed foods or in finished products . Colourings, for example, replace the colour lost during processing. A grey sausage is harder to sell than a muscular red one. Preservatives are added to protect the food from harmful bacteria and moulds.
Emulsifiers and stabilisers replace the natural creaminess of a food that has been lost through fat reduction. Although all these substances are not harmful to health in the concentrations used, some are still to be classified as questionable.

Controversial colourants

Some studies have shown that so-called azo dyes can promote hyperactivity in children and impair attention. Many children's foods, such as colourful confectionery and drinks, contain controversial azo dyes, E 02, E 10, E 22, E 23, E 24, E 51. Fidgety children become calmer if they snack less and drink less sweet drinks.
The whitening agent titanium dioxide, E 71, is currently the subject of much debate as it could promote inflammation. Researchers at the University of Zurich recommend that people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases should avoid foods containing the additive E 71. It is used everywhere that is suspiciously white or shiny, from chewing gum, marshmallows, mozzarella and sugar icing on donuts, for example, to toothpaste and sun creams.

Seductive glutamate

When there is little time to cook, ready-made products such as fish fingers, frozen pizza or tinned ravioli promise quick enjoyment. Children like such products, but nutrition experts tend to dislike them: the concerns are directed at glutamate, E 20 to E 25, which serves as a flavour enhancer and is found in many savoury ready meals, bouillon, seasonings and snacks such as crisps.
Children in particular should not consume added glutamate as a flavour enhancer on a daily basis. If children regularly eat highly processed foods, they become less accustomed to the variety of natural foods and lose their sensitivity to the natural flavour of food. On the other hand, glutamate can stimulate the appetite and thus possibly promote obesity.

The sweetener advertised as healthier is not a good choice either, as it is many times sweeter than sugar. Children in particular quickly get used to the extreme sweetness, which triggers a craving for sweets and sweet drinks . In every family household, it makes sense to establish rules around sweets. For example: Snacking is allowed once a day. Lemonade and soft drinks should remain the exception.

Fresh and natural shopping

So what should you bear in mind when shopping? Read the ingredient lists on products with your children. So many incomprehensible, unnatural names also make an impression on children. If possible, choose natural foods and products with only a few ingredients listed on the label - especially no E-numbers. Organic organisations allow 47 out of 316 additives, all of which are safe. Instead of buying a tub of ready-made fruit yoghurt, choose a natural yoghurt and add fresh seasonal fruit. Children, who often eat highly industrially processed products, no longer know the variety of flavours of fresh food and prefer the uniform taste of industrial products. By trying lots of different natural foods, children develop their own taste and will not be satisfied with the standardised taste of industrially manufactured products later on.

Recipe: Fruit gums without additives

Preparation and cooking: approx. 50 min.
Dry in the oven: approx. 24 hrs.
Leave to stand: approx. 12 hours Makes approx. 350 pieces

Bring 500 frozen, defrosted apricots to the boil in a pan while stirring. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apricots are soft.

Place 300 acacia honey, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and apricots in a measuring jug. Puree finely with a hand blender. Spread the fruit puree on a baking tray lined with baking paper to a thickness of approx. 7 mm.

Dry for approx. 24 hours in the centre of an oven preheated to 50°C, keeping the oven door ajar with a trowel handle. Remove, cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave to stand at room temperature for approx. 12 hours. Cut the fruit jelly into strips of the same size or cut out little animals.

Shelf life: approx. 3 months in the fridge, approx. 6 months frozen.