Most Kallo products do not contain artificial additives.

Food additives are used in many processed foods for a variety of reasons. Many additives have little or no nutritional value but in general they are added to food for a functional reason. For example, flavourings are added to enhance the flavour of a food, colourings are usually added to make food look more attractive, while preservatives are used to increase a products shelf life.

Additives can be classified as either natural, nature identical or artificial. Natural additives are substances found naturally in a food, which can also be extracted, to be used in another food. While nature identical additives are man made replicas of a substance that occurs naturally in a food. Finally, artificial additives are certain substances that have been created.

Many additives can be identified by an 'E' number. This means that the substance has been tested for safety and allowed to be used in foods within the United Kingdom and the European Union. The E number also enables the additive to be easily identified on packaging.

Despite having passed the safety tests, some people suffer reactions to certain additives whether they are natural, natural identical or artificial additives. Some reports also suggest that some additives may be associated with hyperactivity in young children.

If you suspect that you or a member of your family may suffer a reaction to additives, it is a good idea to contact your GP for professional advice.

To find out more about this topic you can also try the UK food standards agency at www.food.gov.uk.

Links

• The UK Food Standards Agency
• UK Food Guide
• HyperActive Children's Support Group (HACSG)

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