Food additives and reactions

Some food additives can cause reactions

For most people, additives are not a problem in the short term. However, 50 of the 400 currently approved additives in Australia have been associated with adverse reactions in some people. Some food additives are more likely than others to cause reactions in sensitive people.

It is often the additives that are used to give a food a marketable quality, such as colour, that most commonly cause allergic reactions. Some of these hypersensitive reactions include:

• Digestive disorders – diarrhoea and colicky pains
• Nervous disorders – hyperactivity, insomnia and irritability
• Respiratory problems – asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis
• Skin problems – hives, itching, rashes and swelling.

It is important to realise that many of the symptoms experienced as a result of food sensitivities can be caused by other disorders. Medical diagnosis is important. If you try to diagnose yourself, you may restrict your diet unnecessarily and neglect an illness

Please refer to the Food Additives Bible application for information about full list of dangerous colors, flavor enhancers, preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, stabilizers, gelling agents and thickeners>