FOOD LABELLING, HEALTH AND CONSUMER CHOICES

By Dr Orly Zuker, Chiropractor

(B.App Sci: Comp Med, Masters:Clin Chiro, B.Nursing, Webster Certif)

In Australia and other first word nations, we are very fortunate to have on offer clean and healthy food options. At our fingertips, supermarkets offer all sorts of pre-prepared meals, frozen goods, fresh produce and an abundance of tasty treats and sweets. This abundance of convenience and packaged foods has led consumers to rely on honest and accurate information provided on labels by food manufacturers. The simple fact is that processed foods are usually manufactured with heavily refined and processed ingredients. Virtually all conventionally processed foods are laden with salt, hidden sugars (high fructose corn syrup), unhealthy/ hydrogenated fats and nasty chemical additives... Far from what nature intended.

Over the past 20 years there has  been an emergence of healthy minded consumers who want to know what is going on their plates and into their bodies. People are demanding  honesty from their food producers, manufacturers, supermarkets and farmers and as result has influenced the introduction of organic products and food items that are free from preservatives, additives, artificial colouring and hidden sugars.

As you begin to read labels and ingredient lists, be conscious that in Australia and many other countries, food labelling laws are vague, allowing a food manufacturer to in many ways ‘do what they like’. In saying so, ‘natural’, ‘sugar-free’ and ‘fat-free’ and so on only mean that a certain percentage of the product contains or includes natural products or a particular level of fat or sugar! Moral of the story, grow your own, bake your own, pick your own and support local butchers, green grocers, farmers markets.

Don't be fooled by clever marketing and advertising either. For example, recently a supermarket  campaign was introduced with a 'no added hormones’ slogan which at first glance is exciting. However if you read between the lines  you will realise the truth in food labelling. If we think about it, of course supermarkets don’t add hormones to their meat produce (for goodness sake, it’s a carcass that doesn’t need growth hormones!), but sadly growers and suppliers frequently use growth hormones and antibiotics that are hidden in  the animal feed that their livestock eat. Meats can also be preserved with chemicals before reaching supermarkets, and thus is the ambiguous industry of food labelling and marketing.

Education about food and food labeling starts with our kids. Our young future leaders are impressionable and it is imperative that they are aware of farming practices (including food export/ import, organic and biotechnology such as the genetic modification of food), cage rearing of animals, food manufacturing, food labeling, sustainability and recycling. Parents can use a simple supermarket trip as education, explaining what they see and explaining labels and numbers to them.

Food Labelling Issue #1: Processed Foods & Additives

For centuries food additives such as salt and oil have been used in food manufacturing to; preserve food (these are numbered in the 200s), augment or improve the taste of food (these are numbered in the 600s) or to make foods more appealing to the eye by restoring or enhancing colour (these are numbered in the 100s) .u

According to public government based information the FSANZ closely monitor the use of food additives, and comprehensively tests and assesses regularly for safety. In saying this however, use your better judgement as artificial additives such food colouring (however banned in certain European countries) are easily accessible in Australia & New Zealand. Long-term safety of such chemicals remain unknown or vague.

Flavour enhancers might make a packaged food item tastier, however chemical flavour enhancers such as Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) can have awful side effects that include;  headaches, migraines, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma attacks, shortness of breath, anxiety or panic attacks, heart palpitations, partial paralysis, heart attack-like symptoms, balance difficulties, mental confusion, mood swings, neurological disorders (Parkinson's, MS, ALS, Alzheimer's), behavioural disorders (especially in children and teens), skin rashes, mouth dryness, premature labour, runny nose, facial flushing, mouth lesions, depression and more…

Becoming familiar with the numbers found on food labels will assist you in making more informed and perhaps healthier choices for yourself and your family. Comprehensive lists are available on the FSANZ website for a label number/ code reference.

Common additives found in packaged food include:

      ·         Acidity regulator (260)

·         Anticaking agent (551, 553, 554)

·         Petrolatum or petroleum jelly (905b)

·         Aspartame (951)/ Saccharin (954)

·         Flavour enhancer: MSG (620, 621, 622, 623, 633, 635)

·         Sorbitol (420) – a humectant which is used to stabilize the moisture levels of dry fruit.

·         Sulphur dioxide/ sodium nitrate/ bisulphite/ metabisulphite/ potassium bisulphite (220, 222, 223, 250, 251, 228) are preservatives found in dry fruit and processed meat products.

·         Colours: Many colours are added to foods such as dried fruit, jarred foods, confectionary and so on. The following colours have been banned in Norway, Sweden, Finland, France and Austria; yellow tartrazine (102), yellow #6 (E110), allura red (129), ponceau 4R/ red dye # 3 & #40 (E124), blue #1 & blue #2 (E133). Studies into the effects of these artificial colours/ additives have discovered links to hyperactivity disorders, chromosomal/ DNA damage and specific cancers. Unfortunately Australia and New Zealand haven’t followed suit in banned these, so avoid them all together is a good idea for your health.

It is important to know that not all numbers are ‘bad’. There are many naturally occurring additives now being used in food manufacturing. These are also required by law to be listed on a food label. In examining a food label the following natural additives can be found:

·         Anthocyanins/ grape skin or blackcurrant extract (163). This is a natural food colouring.

·         Curcumin/ turmeric (100). This is used as a natural colouring alongside with Spirulina, paprika, beetroot, carrot and blueberries.

·         Ascorbic acid/ VIT C (300). This naturally occurs in fruits & vegetables and is used as an antioxidant.

·         Lecithin (322). This is naturally found in egg yolks, soy beans, peanuts and maize/ corn. It is used as an emulsifier or lubricant.

·         Glazing agent (901). This is derived from beeswax and used as a natural waxing agent for fruit such as apples.

·         Carrageenan (407). This is an additive extracted from red and purple seaweeds that is used as a thickener or emulsifier in foods

·         Xylitol (967). This is a natural low GI sugar alcohol. It is extracted from birch trees, raspberries and corn husk.

Food Labelling Issue #2: Artificial sweeteners

With the rising levels of diabetes and obesity, the public has jumped on the ‘sugar-free’ craze. Food and drink manufacturing companies have invested millions collectively on marketing and advertising and as a result hundreds and thousands of people are ingesting toxic and potentially very dangerous artificial sweeteners.

European studies have shown that ingestion of artificial sweeteners such Aspartame (951) can result in an accumulation of formaldehyde in the brain which can damage the central nervous system and immune system causing trauma to DNA. Aspartame breaks down into methanol (wood alcohol) which quickly converts to formaldehyde in the body... Formaldehyde is heavily toxic to the body. Aspartame is in fact considered worse than refined sugar and has been found responsible for symptoms of MS, lupus, fibromyalgia and other disorders of the central nervous. additionally, other artificial sweeteners such as saccharin have been linked to cancer in laboratory rats.

 The following artificial sweeteners are found in products such as; diet fizzy drinks, chewing gum, mints, sugar-free items, yoghurts, snack bars, lollies and ‘health’ products such as Yakult:

·         Sucralose (955): Found in the product ‘Splenda’

·         Saccharin (954): Found in the product ‘Sweet n Low’

·         Aspartame (951): Found in the products ‘Equal’ & ‘Nutrasweet’

In addition, be careful of heavily processed ‘natural’ products such as Erythritol (968). This is a sugar alcohol that is classified as safe by the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ), however consumption has been linked to digestive upset/ disturbance.

Food Labelling Issue #3: Genetic modification or genetic engineering

Genetic modification (GM) or genetic engineering (GE) is another world. The true food network continues to rally the government to introduce stricter laws on GE and GM labelling. Genetic modification or genetic engineering involves altering the genetic material of an organism by using techniques which may manipulate food, animals and perhaps even humans. With food for instance, scientists have the ability to reduce fruit softening, to make plants insect repellent, to enrich foods with minerals or vitamins, to brighten the colour of fruit and to alter the shape of produce for easier storage (for example Japanese scientists have created square watermelons!).

The problem is that large companies such as Monsato, Bayer or Novartis are behind such processes and are in a position of power and financial gain. GE and GM is the furthest step we can take from nature and with no testing in place to determine or predict safety. Therefore, food altering technology may have potentially hazardous effects on health and the environment in the future. Recent studies have suggested a link between GE soybeans and corn with a rise in food allergies in humans, as well as immune dysfunction in mice consuming GE peas. Many companies now label their foods as GE/ GM-free, however most don’t, so avoiding packaged food and questioning your food suppliers is the only way forward. The true food network has a comprehensive list on their website of GM/GE manufacturers to avoid. Visit www.truefood.org.au/ for your information.

 Educate yourself about food and nutrition, and read food labels!!