Bad Food Additives

FSANZ approval process for food additives a joke!

Wednesday, 18 March 2009 13:25

Dangerous adverse effects caused by combinations of chemicals are not accounted for in the approval process.

The general process goes something like this. Aniamls, usually two species, are selected to use as subjects. These animals are fed high doses of the additive and observed. They are tested for any detectable cancers, organ damage, DNA and nerve damage, etc. If any adverse reactions are encountered then new subjects are brought in and fed a lower dose until no noticable effects are observed. A formula is applied to this level of intake based on average adult intake, weight, etc and this calculation gives manufactures the so called "safe" level for human consumption.

At the moment, this so called safe level for human consumption is the same for adults as it is for children. Our children who have smaller bodies and high nitritional requirements are actually exposed, an a weight by weight basis, to much higher levels of additives than adults.

The tests also don't take into account the constant and varied exposure our children get to many food additves on a constant basis. From infants, children are exposed to additives which build up in their bodies. In the approval process, additives are tested in isolation. Studies have shown that some additves, when combined, have a synergystic effect and become more potent than when consumed on their own.

We recently published an article about Sodium Benzoate which is used as a mould inhibitor in soft drinks. By itself, Sodium Benzoate has been shown to deactivate and damage parts of DNA mitochondria which in turn can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's. What is of more concern is when Sodium Benzoate is mixed with Vitamin C it often forms benzene - a known carcinogenic. Side effects like this would never be exposed in FSANZ's approval process.

Similarly, studies have also shown that mixtures of  MSG(E621) with Brilliant Blue(E133) and Quinoline Yellow(E104) with Aspartame(E91) had an "additive effect on cytotoxicity". Inhibition of nerve growth was found at concentrations theoretically achievable by ingestion of a typical snack and drink.

You can read about this study here - http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/90/1/178

Is this safe for our children? Does it make sense that our Government says these chemicals are safe for human consumption? Is it a coincidence that hyperactivity is one of the most common disorders affecting children across the western world?

By John Pitchers, 18 March 2008