One of our goals on our mission to Transform Children’s Health in Australia, One Lunchbox At A Time, is to raise awareness about the importance of lunchbox food and how lunchbox food can affect concentration and behaviour.
This week in households across Australia, many children will return to school. This means, parents will be packing lunchboxes again. Large supermarket chains have been running their back to school campaigns for a couple of weeks and I shared my concerns in the post Beware The Words Lunchbox Fillers. Today, I want to share which additives and preservatives have been identified through research (source: Chemical Maze) as having the potential to contribute behavioural problems, learning difficulties and hyperactivity. So before you put that packet in the lunchbox, check for these additives and preservatives.
To give your child the best chance at school, please steer clear of ‘Lunchbox Fillers’ containing these additives and preservatives as ingredients. Your child’s teacher will thank you, and so will your child in the long run. You may also be surprised and grateful to experience a positive change in behaviour at home too.
Please note, this list is not the exhaustive list provided in Chemical Maze. I have selected what I believe are the ones most likely to be in lunchbox foods. By all means, use this post as a starting point, but I would recommend you do your own research too. The ones in red writing are ones which may cause all 3 – behavioural problems, learning difficulties and hyperactivity. Also take note of how yummy sounding the names of the additives and preservatives are… NOT!
Also note that this list only covers potential issues with behaviour, learning and hyperactivity. It makes NO mention of potential issues with asthma, skin conditions, gut or intestinal problems, allergies, and so on. Again, please do your own research, and if you want to have a much more comprehensive list at your fingertips, we strongly recommend the Chemical Maze app. We endorse it without any kind of commission or kick-back – we just love the app.
Behavioural Problems
- 129 – Allura Red AC – adds a dark red colour. Used in drinks and processed foods.
- 160b – Annatto Extracts – adds yellow to pink colour. Used in drinks, cereals, dairy products, ice cream and icing. This is likely to be marketed as a natural colour as it’s derived from a plant, or may also be marketed as No Artificial Colours.
- 951 – Aspartame – a sweetener – used in over 5000 food and drink products.
- 321 – Butylated Hydroxytoluene – edible oils (and this may not be listed as an ingredient!)
- 282 – Calcium Propionate – used in bakery products and pasta. This is in many supermarket breads so be wary. Both of our own children are affected by this one.
- 203 – Calcium Sorbate – used in cheese and ice confectionaries.
- 635 – Disodium 5′ – ribonucleotides – used to add flavours – especially in chips, crackers, noodles, party pies, stock cubes.
- 127 – Erythrosine – adds a cherry pink to red colour. Used in biscuits, canned fruit, glace’ cherries.
- 132 – Indigotine – adds moderate bright green colouring to processed foods, biscuits, confectionery, processed foods.
- 621 – Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) – flavour enhancer, found in over 10,000 foods including malt extract, gelatin and yeast extract.
- 224 – Potassium Metabisulphite – used as a preservative in bread, dried fruit, and cheese.
- 283 – Potassium Propionate – used as a preservative in bakery products and pasta.
- 225 – Potassium Sulphite – used as a preservative in cheese and dried fruit.
- 280 – Propionic Acid – used as a preservative in bakery products, cheese, pasta.
- 104 – Quinoline Yellow – adds a dull yellow to greenish yellow colour, and is often found in processed foods, beverages and ices.
- 110 – Sunset Yellow – adds a yellow colour. Can be found in beverages, ice cream, jam, processed foods, soups and sweets.
- 102 – Tartrazine – adds a lemon to yellow/orange colour to food. Used in beverages, chewing gum, jam, jelly, sweets, yoghurt, confectionery, ice cream.
Learning Difficulties
- 129 – Allura Red AC – adds a dark red colour. Used in drinks and processed foods
- 951 – Aspartame – a sweetener – used in over 5000 food and drink products.
- 282 – Calcium Propionate – used in bakery products and pasta. This is in many supermarket breads so be wary. Both of our own children are affected by this one.
- 127 Erythrosine – adds a cherry pink to red colour. Used in biscuits, canned fruit, glace’ cherries.
- 132 – Indigotine – adds moderate bright green colouring to processed foods, biscuits, confectionery, processed foods.
- 621 – Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) – flavour enhancer, found in over 10,000 foods including malt extract, gelatin and yeast extract.
- 283 – Potassium Propionate – used as a preservative in bakery products and pasta.
- 280 – Propionic Acid – used as a preservative in bakery products, cheese, pasta.
- 104 – Quinoline Yellow – adds a dull yellow to greenish yellow colour, and is often found in processed foods, beverages and ices.
- 211 – Sodium Benzoate – used as a preservative in fruit juice, jam, pickles and soft drinks, and derived from petroleum.
- 251 – Sodium Nitrate – used as a colour fixative and preservative in processed meats.
- 281 – Sodium Propionate – used as a preservative in bakery products and pasta.
- 110 – Sunset Yellow – adds a yellow colour. Can be found in beverages, ice cream, jam, processed foods, soups and sweets.
- 102 – Tartrazine – adds a lemon to yellow/orange colour to food. Used in beverages, chewing gum, jam, jelly, sweets, yoghurt, confectionery, ice cream.
Hyperactivity
- 129 – Allura Red AC – adds a dark red colour. Used in drinks and processed foods
- 160b – Annatto Extracts – adds yellow to pink colour. Used in drinks, cereals, dairy products, ice cream and icing. This is likely to be marketed as a natural colour as it’s derived from a plant, or may also be marketed as No Artificial Colours.
- 951 – Aspartame – a sweetener – used in over 5000 food and drink products.
- 210 – Benzoic Acid – used as a preservative in jams, pickles and soft drinks.
- 150d – Caramel IV – used in soft drink (or flavoured milks as we have discovered)
- 155 – Brown HT – brown food colouring used in cake mix, chocolate flavoured milk and processed foods.
- 321 – Butylated Hydroxytoluene – used in edible oils (and this may not be listed as an ingredient!)
- 282 – Calcium Propionate – used in bakery products and pasta. This is in many supermarket breads so be wary. Both of our own children are affected by this one.
- 150C – Caramel III – a colour (dark brown to black) used in bakery products, sauces. Sometimes used in biscuits.
- 635 – Disodium 5′ – ribonucleotides – used to add flavours – especially in chips, crackers, noodles, party pies, stock cubes
- 127 Erythrosine – adds a cherry pink to red colour. Used in biscuits, canned fruit, glace’ cherries.
- 132 – Indigotine – adds moderate bright green colouring to processed foods, biscuits, confectionery, processed foods.
- 224 – Potassium Metabisulphite – used as a preservative in bread, dried fruit, and cheese.
- 225 – Potassium Sulphite – used as a preservative in cheese and dried fruit.
- 104 – Quinoline Yellow – adds a dull yellow to greenish yellow colour, and is often found in processed foods, beverages and ices.
- 211 – Sodium Benzoate – used as a preservative in fruit juice, jam, pickles and soft drinks, and derived from petroleum.
- 223 – Sodium Metabisulphite – used as a preservative in bread, cheese, dried fruit and jam.
- 110 – Sunset Yellow – adds a yellow colour. Can be found in beverages, ice cream, jam, processed foods, soups and sweets.
- 102 – Tartrazine – adds a lemon to yellow/orange colour to food. Used in beverages, chewing gum, jam, jelly, sweets, yoghurt, confectionery, ice cream.
WOW. There’s a lot to consider – but when it comes to behaviour, learning and hyperactivity in the school yard or the classroom, it’s worth choosing alternative products when these additives are included as ingredients.
Have you come across some common lunchbox packet foods that surprised you, or sent your kids haywire? Why not share the packets / details in the comments below?