Additive-Free Eating

(Adapted from “Allergies & Other Environmental Illnesses : Practice Handbook for Doctors” – 1992). This programme seeks to avoid food additives that can cause problems in some sensitive people. Mot problem additives are artificial chemicals. Those made fro natural substances do not usually cause problems. Rather than trying to avoid all additives, we want you to just avoid those ones. To do this you will have to read labels carefully as you shop or prepare foods. If in doubt – leave it out!

Artificial colors

Found in sweets, ice-cream, ice blocks, cakes, flavored milk, icing, jellies, sweet or savory biscuits, crisps, cool drinks, cordials, frits juice drinks, toppings, yogurts, some medication and lots more! Suspect any too bright foodstuff.

102 Tartazin
107 Yellow 2G
110 Sunset Yellow FCF
122 Azoruubine, carmosine
123 Amaranth
127 Erythorosine
128 Allura Red AC
132 Indigotine
133 Brilliant Blue FCF
142 Food Green S
151 Brilliant Black HT
155 Brown HT
160 b) Annatto extracts

Anti-oxidants

These prevent oils and fats (eg butter, cooking oils, ice-creams, chewing or gum) from going rancid.

320 Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
321 Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
322

Flavour Enhancer

Added to processed foods such as stock cubes, flavoured crips, savoury biscuits and dips, spreads, etc.

620 L-glutamic acid
621 Mono-sodium glutamate (MSG)
622 Mono-potassium L- glutamate
623 Calcium di-L-glutamate
624 Monoammoniuum L-glutamate
625 Magnesium d-L-glutamate

Preservatives

Found in such things as fruit juices, fruit juice drinks, cordials, diabetic or low calorie jams, flavour essences, flour, imitation fruit, toppings, some liquid medications, dried fruit, and wines, ciders or beers.

Benzoates – look for the words – benzoic, benzoate, paraben. 210, 211, 212, 213, 216, 218
Sulphites – look for words – sulphur, sulphite, or ending in – phite. 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 228

Nitrates

Added to processed meats to keep their colour and preserve them. Found in salami, polony, cabana, cold-pressed meats, ham, bacon, devon, spam, sausage meats.

249 Potassium nitrate
230 Sodium nitrite
251 Sodium nitrate