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Every parent knows that children are susceptible to the sophisticated marketing strategies employed by manufacturers of processed food products. It’s not surprising when basic lines like breakfast cereal, cookies, drinks, and chips are linked to popular media characters like Spiderman, Dr Who, and Barbie. What many parents fail to realise is the extent to which some of these foods can be saturated with suspect chemical additives. Chemical additives in food have been linked to a number of medical and psychological conditions which can affect childhood well-being and development. These include common and rare allergies, hyperactivity disorder, and appetite disturbances. Because they cannot be used by the body for normal growth and repair,...

It’s fast approaching the time of year when grandparents, police officers, and neighbors stock up on those candy treats which contribute to the traditional festivities of Halloween. When we were little, our favourite treats were the brightly coloured toffee apples and the candied popcorn which came in brown paper bags. The goblins of today are just as likely to receive wholesome muesli bars, trade fair chocolates, or one of the organically certified candy products now appealing to health conscious parents. Organic candy has been around for several decades but has only recently become a mainstream item. A few years ago, you had to search the internet for limited supplies of organic candy. Dealing with small-scale manufacturers and the...

Scientists have made an important advance in understanding the genetic processes that give flowers, leaves and plants their bright colours. The knowledge could lead to a range of benefits, including better understanding of the cancer-fighting properties of plant pigments and new, natural food colourings. The research is highlighted in the new issue of Business from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The scientists, at the John Innes Centre and Institute of Food Research in Norwich, have pinpointed a key group of enzymes involved in the production of plant pigments. The pigments, called anthocyanins, are what give some plants the vivid colours that they use to attract insects and foraging animals. They also give...

A major study conducted by Professor Jim Stevenson and a team of researchers from The University of Southampton has established a positive correlation between food additives and the incidence of hyperactivity in children. While many parents, at least intuitively, have appreciated for some time the need to minimise the intake of suspect food additives, particularly in children pre-disposed to hyperactivity, the research provides a timely reminder of the need for all of us to be diligent when reading and interpreting food labels. What are food additives? Simply put, food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavour or improve its taste and appearance. The most common food additives include antioxidants, preservatives, colours, emulsifiers,...