There are over 50 widely used food additives which are known to cause behavioural, health and learning problems in children and adults (evidence based on research on over 20,000 patients at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital's Allergy Unit in Sydney).

Did you know that food additives are not tested at all for their effects on behaviour or learning? Significant problems exist with the methodology used by FSANZ (Food Standards Australia and New Zealand) to assess the safety of additives. To protect you and your family, avoid products containing the following additives. To get you started, refer to our Easy First Steps Toward Additive Free brochure.

Colours    Preservatives    Flavour Enhancers    Flavours    Artificial Sweeteners         Printer Friendly Version

Colours

Artificial Colours
102             tartrazine
104             quinoline yellow
107             yellow 2G
110             sunset yellow
122             azorubine, carmoisine
123             amaranth
124             ponceau, brilliant scarlet
127             erythrosine
128             red 2G
129             allura red
132             indigotine, indigo carmine
133             brilliant blue
142             green S, food green, acid brilliant green
151             brilliant black
155             brown, chocolate brown
Natural Colour
160b           annatto, bixin, norbixin
 

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Preservatives

200-203     sorbic acid, potassium & calcium sorbates
210-213     benzoic acid, sodium, potassium & calcium benzoates
220-228     sulphur dioxide, all sulphites, bisulphites, metabisulphites
249-252     all nitrates & nitrites
280-283     propionic acid, sodium, potassium & calcium propionates
Antioxidants
310-312     all gallates
319-321     TBHQ, BHA butylated hydroxyanisole, BHT butylated hydroxytoluene
 

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Flavour Enhancers

620-625     glutamic acid and all glutamates, MSG monosodium glutamate
627             disodium guanylate
631             disodium inosinate
635             ribonucleotides
Yeast extract, HVP HPP hydrolysed vegetable or plant protein
 

Also see the Food Intolerance Network factsheet for more information on MSG and glutamates.
 

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Flavours

Unregulated

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Artificial Sweeteners

951             aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal)
 

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Source: Food Intolerance Network