Food product flavourings 'conning' consumers, watchdog says
Many of the strawberry products assessed had little strawberry content
Also In The News
|
A & M Records, out Monday March 3rd 2008. |  |
Monday, 25, Feb 2008 12:21
Many food products that seem to get their flavour from fruit actually do so from flavourings, the Food Commission has warned.
The independent watchdog says although there are about 2,800 flavourings which can be added to food, none of these need to be declared as ingredients.
As such the Food Commission claims that consumers may be unaware of what they are really eating, with a 'fruit flavour' product being completely free of real fruit.
After analysing a variety of strawberry products the commission found that many contain no strawberries at all, or just use tiny amounts of real fruit.
For example Jordans Frusli All Fruit strawberry bars are actually made from apples and contain only 0.5 per cent strawberry juice concentrate.
And Asda's Great Stuff strawberry milkshake contains only 0.6 per cent strawberry juice, with flavourings providing the taste and the colour coming from beetroot.
Food Commission spokesperson Ian Tokelove said: "Flavourings allow companies to cut costs at the public's expense.
"With thousands of cheap flavourings to choose from, many food manufacturers can now flavour their products using these specialist additives instead of real ingredients."
"Describing a product as strawberry flavour and plastering the packet with pictures of strawberries, when that product contains just a tiny percentage of strawberry or even no real fruit at all, is misleading and deceptive. Unfortunately it is also legal and the practice is widespread."
The Food Commission is calling for all flavourings to be individually identified on food labels and advises shoppers to always check ingredients lists to see what is in their food.