Less fat & salt, but what about food additives?

Remove additives from canteens

Posted: 02 June 2008

From the Adelaide Advertiser, 21st May 2008

FOOD sold in South Australian school canteens contains additives banned in several overseas countries, the State Opposition has claimed.

But the State Government says any additives have been cleared by the food standards regulator and that any present were  "certainly better than the pies, pasties and donuts we used to have".

Opposition education spokesman David Pisoni today said the additives and preservatives in food approved for sale in school canteens under the Government's Rite Bite food program had been linked to asthma, skin rashes and behavioural problems.

He said the "harmful" additives were included in chicken and ham sandwiches, flavoured milk, pies, vegetable juice, and instant noodles.

“Rite Bite guidelines have led many food suppliers to reduce salt, fat and sugar to ensure their products could be sold in school canteens,” Mr Pisoni said.

“But the Education Minister has ignored a host of artificial colours, preservatives, flavours and flavour enhancers which are just as bad for children.

“A review of additives in school foods is urgently needed so parents can feel confident that what is being fed to their children is not harmful.”

Mr Pisoni said a Liberal investigation had found:

ARTIFICIAL colour 122 found in strawberry flavoured milk is banned in Sweden USA Austria and Norway and is linked to hyperactivity. 
PRESERVATIVE 211 is found in fruit slushees and is linked to hyperactivity, asthma and behavioural problems. 
FLAVOUR enhancer 627 found in sliced or diced chicken linked to asthma and hyperactivity is prohibited in foods for infants and young children. 
FLAVOUR enhancer 621 (MSG) found in fat free instant noodles, pies, pasties and sausage rolls is linked to asthma, hyperactivity, sleeplessness, mood changes and depression. Banned in schools in Thailand since 2003. 
ARTIFICIAL colour 129 used to colour vegetable juice, linked to skin rashes, hypersensitivity. Banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Norway.

Education Minister jane Lomax-Smith dismissed Mr Pisoni's comments as an attempt to undermine the program and said the unhealthy foods that used to be available at canteens were much worse.

"We are trying to get away from processed foods... and there are food additives in all processed food,''  she said. .

She said regulator Food Standards Australia made informed judgments on what additives were acceptable and that Mr Pisoni should leave such matters to the experts.