|
Much of the flavour in modern
food and drink can come from an unexpected source, a survey by The
Food Commission has revealed.
There are currently around 2,700
flavourings which can be added to the food we eat, but none of these
need to be declared as ingredients, leaving consumers unaware of what
they are really eating.
The survey points out that
flavourings have no nutritional value of their own. When used instead
of real ingredients, flavourings can reduce the nutritional value of
our food. For instance, a 'fruit flavour' product can be completely
free of real fruit.
Using strawberry flavour products
as an example, The Food Commission revealed that many products
contain no strawberries at all, or use just tiny amounts of the
fruit. For instance:
> Jordans Frusli All
Fruit Strawberry Bars contain only 0.5% strawberry juice concentrate.
The bars are actually made from apples.
> Hartley's Strawberry
Jelly with a 'New Fruitier Taste' contains no strawberries at all.
> Nesquik Strawberry
Milkshake Mix is almost 100% pure sugar, but contains no
strawberries. Nesquik suggest that children add up to four teaspoons
of this sugary mix to every glass of milk they drink.
>ASDA Great Stuff
Strawberry Milkshake has been 'endorsed by ASDA nutritionists' - but
the cartons contain no strawberry at all. Flavourings provide the
taste and the colour comes from beetroot.
> Yoplait Yop
Strawberry Yogurt contains no strawberries and uses an artificial
colouring, E124 (ponceau 4R).
> Fruit Bowl School
Bars (apple, strawberry and pear) look very fruity, but contain more
vegetable oil than strawberry juice (1.5%)
In all of these instances,
flavourings provide the taste and the actual strawberry content is
either minimal or non-existent.
Ian Tokelove, a spokesperson for
The Food Commission, said, "Flavourings allow companies to
cut costs at the public's expense. With thousands of cheap
flavourings to choose from, many food manufacturers can now flavour
their products using these specialist additives instead of real ingredients."
"Describing a product as
strawberry flavour and plastering the packet with pictures of
strawberries, when that product contains just a tiny percentage of
strawberry or even no real fruit at all, is misleading and deceptive.
Unfortunately it is also legal and the practice is widespread."
Tokelove said.
The Food Commission is calling
for all flavourings to be individually identified on food labels. In
the meantime, The Food Commission advises shoppers to always check
ingredients lists to see what is really in, or missing from, their food.
The Food Commission is an
independent watchdog which campaigns for healthier, safer,
sustainable food in the UK.
|
