Let's all have a whinge about stuff our kids could have until they changed the recipe!

[threebob]

Okay so this month we have had:

The only normally priced loaf of bread that has no emulsifiers, preservatives or flour improvers just put in emulsifiers and flour improvers. Now I have to buy the organic one at a dollar more - even though I don't really care about it's organicness.

Ds's ginger biscuits now have milk powder in them.

And finally and most annoyingly his chocolate soy milk now has blue and brown food colourings in it. I didn't notice and so we are now having to bathe him in oats, give him antihistamine and scrape him off the ceiling.

WTF do they do this? I am especially annoyed at the soy milk as they are still promoting the healthy angle - how can it be healthy when The Green Party of NZ say

"We recommend you avoid the following dyes, which are linked to a wide range of allergic reactions including asthma, hyperactivity and skin rashes. Some colours have been linked to carcinogenic tumours in laboratory animals"

and yes you guessed it, both colours are on the list.

So please join me for a moan.

[threebob]

I have a reply:

Thank you for your email regarding our Lush Chocolate Vitasoy.

We currently use Blue 133 as it is a well researched and approved colouring for use in food products.

Of those that we have researched and trialled, Blue 133 meets the current technical and commercial requirements of this particular product. However, we continue to actively seek alternatives.

In the event that we need to use an additive to achieve a particular product characteristic, we consider very carefully the impact on the consumer market. If an additive is used, we are careful to ensure that it is declared in the ingredients listing, so that all consumers are informed and can make purchase decisions based on their needs and beliefs.

I can assure you that your comments regarding the use of these colourings has been provided to our Marketing & Product Development teams, for their review and consideration.

I have also forwarded your details onto our NZ office so that you may be reimbursed for the products that you purchased.

We wish to apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment that you have experienced with our product. We would like to thank you for your feedback and appreciate the time you have taken to contact us.

[singersgirl]

I'll join you, Threebob. I'm sick of finding preservatives in just about everything except the organic stuff.

Why do they need to colour chocolate soy milk anyway? Why are all custards coloured with annatto?

[clerkKent]

All Walkers Crisps used to be labelled "Suitable for coeliacs"; it was easy - I knew I could eat any Walkers Crisps. Recently they changed the look of the packet but also changed the recipe so common flavours like Cheese & Onion are no longer gluten free. I have to examine each flavour carefully, every time (as I don't remember which are suitable for coeliacs). But at least the labelling is very clear.

[Nightynight]

Have you noticed how butter fat seems to be creeping into plain chocolate recipes? (not cocoa butter, obviously)

[williamsmummy]

cant buy a birthday cake any more since new labeling regs came in to effect.
( not sure if that means I should have worried before or not!)
So back to making home made cakes, which is a shame, when son passed cooked egg challenge he cried for joy when i found a bought birthday cake.
Egg free cakes ( esp if I made them) are horrible.

[threebob]

Do a search for boiled chocolate cake from I think memama - it is not horrible, and you can't tell it has no egg in it.

[Heartmum2Jamie]

I have not had to deal with recipies changing yet, but it is something I will keep my eye on.

I agree about the boiled choclatr cake, it's delicious! We used banana as the binding agent in our cake. I think my ds thought he had gone to heaven, chocolate & banana in the same cake, lol!

[Chandra]

Sainsbury's fre from frutty bars, don't know if they changed or were simply re labeled but now they are not safe for people with nut allergies.

tesco baguels no longer suitable. etc.

Apparently Sainsbury's economic range is free from the allergens DS react to, however, he gets worse reactions to anything in this range than to other things clearly labeled as not suitable, so... now, I just assume that the labeling of that full range is just innacurate (as they conceded after the first incident...)

[threebob]

Have you just had a law change about your labelling - I notice that in the UK imported stuff some now no longer needs a special sticker to meet the tougher law we have here.

[Chandra]

YEs, we did, although not all products has been relabelled so far. Now the more common allergens are broadly specified as allergens under the ingredients list.

Apparently, producers are no longer allowed to insert the words "may contain traces of nuts" to avoid any liability. However... now they are labelling them as "Made in a factory that uses peanuts/nuts products" which is basically the same but with more "scary" words...

[brimfull]

my ds was also over the moon about the thought of a bday cake like his sisters,after he passed cooked egg challenge, but most have a nut warning

He did go to a party the other week and the cake was from co-op and it was safe for him.

[threebob]

I got a cheque today for $20 from Yoplait - which I presume is my refund, given that the 4 packets were under $10 this is a result - though obviously not as good as not having the blue colouring in in the first place. I just now have to find someone to give 3 packets of chocolate soy milk that will send their kids crazy to.