Harmful cereals in Tesco

[JaneDavis2015]

Hello there,
I have to make you aware that Tesco selling illegal breakfast cereals for kids. I have purchased cereals for my daughter recently in American section in Tesco. One box was Apple Zings and second Marshmallows Mateys (attached images). My friend who works in food industry for ages saw them and told me that inside of products is Genetically Modified corn as well as unpermitted colours in UK such as tartazine and allura red.

Cool. Why would you buy those cereals anyway? Even if they weren't illegal? Just wondering.

Whilst I wouldn't personally buy them (tartrazine in drinks in the 80s set off my asthma) as far as I am aware those additives are not banned in the UK although they are in some european countries.

When you took the boxes back to Tesco to tell them your friend said they contained illegal ingredients, what did they say ?

Nothing on the packets suggest there is genetically modified corn in it. There is modified corn starch, but that is a chemical modification process. The Marshmallow Mateys are made from oats. Nothing on the Apple Zings to suggest genetic modification either. These cereals are also sold by Saintsbury's.

I would be more concerned about starting the day with sugar loaded marshmallows.

I would be concerned at the amount of sugar in those cereals let alone the apparent banned ingredients.

Here OP a link to the FSA.

Um, you bought cereal...one of which is bright green, the other includes marshmallows and you thought they might be healthy?...

Just googled

.....

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allura_Red_AC
1 Allura red
"In Europe, Allura Red AC is not recommended for consumption by children. It is banned in Denmark, Belgium, France and Switzerland, and was also banned inSweden until the country joined the European Union in 1994.[9] The European Unionapproves Allura Red AC as a food colorant, but EU countries' local laws banning food colorants are preserved.[10] In Norway, it was banned between 1978 and 2001, a period in which azo dyes were only legally used in alcoholic beverages and some fish products"

www.ukfoodguide.net/e102.htm
2 (Tartrazine)
Not recommended for consumption by children.
The Hyperactive Childrens Support Group belive that a link exists between this additive and hyperactive behavioural disorders in children.

Whilst being a very commonly used colour in the UK its use is banned in Norway and Austria.

3 a GM maize type (maize is corn right ?)

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30794256

The maize variety is banned in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Luxembourg.

....

I can't find anything that strongly supports your friend's conclusions.

My friend who works in food industry for ages saw them and told me that inside of products is Genetically Modified corn as well as unpermitted colours in UK such as tartazine and allura red.

So some person said that they were illegal? Don't you think that the legal department of Tesco might know better than your friend? Have you contacted Tesco about this?
For what it's worth there are many websites and shops where you can buy similar cereals etc from America. They can't all be breaking the law.

I agree with above but is not the point. Why Tesco or Sainsburys would sell something illegal and why are they selling cereals aimed at young children that contain GM products and those colours? Parents don't always read warnings statement for the children!!

And what do you think GM products are going to do.
Don't feed it to your children - problem solved.
If you don't like them selling it then tell them.
If you think it is illegal, tell them.

What about all the chocolate, sweets, crisps and biscuits that are aimed at children? Adults can make the choice about what they want to feed their children. No one is going to buy a product like that thinking that they are buying some health food.

But they're not illegal.

They are just the non brand versions of Apple Jacks and Lucky Charms. I get them from the dollar store in America.

If someone thinks a cereal that contains marshmallows or bright green hoops is going to be remotely healthy or contain natural ingredients, well they're not the brightest spark.

Yep you are right and I think I might contact Tesco.

Tesco pride themselves that all their own brand food items are made from ingredients like you would find in your own kitchen. Imported products don't count for them.

Contact them about what? That they are selling cereal that contains no illegal ingredients?

Having said that, it seems somewhat bizarre that they would sell these given the recent removal of Ribena from their shelves.

I wouldn't be happy about the colours but as far as GM ingredients go I don't see the issue.

So...

Dear tesco

I recently purchased some very obviously unhealthy breakfast cereals for my children from your store.

Someone told me some of the ingredients are illegal, it turns out that is not the case but, I am still unhappy.

Please make me happy.

Regards...

Contact them about what? That they are selling cereal that contains no illegal ingredients?

Now, now Soup you are showing how behind the times you are.

Get with the programme!

Step 1- Raise public awareness on largest parenting site available.
Step 2- Possibly leading to Big kefuffle on Facebook with lots of "disgusted" tweets to offending company.
Step 3- Fact checking occurs.

PS OP I think you will find a most sympathetic ear from the OP who started the thread most upset about Waitrose's placement of baby food products.

Someone should tell these guys that they are breaking the law.
cerealkillercafe.co.uk/menus

My friend even thinks that tartrazine and allura red may not be allowed in breakfast cereals in UK, but I told her that Tesco wouldn't sell something that was illegal, would they?

Less that 2 seconds on Google says this: www.ukfoodguide.net/e102.htm

"Tartrazine appears to cause the most allergic and/or intolerance reactions of all the azo dyes, particularly amongst those with an aspirin intolerance and asthmatics. Other reactions can include migraine, blurred vision, itching, rhinitis and purple skin patches, (because of this more use is now being made of Annatto (E160b). In conjunction with Benzoic acid (E210) tartrazine appears to create an over-activity in children.

Not recommended for consumption by children.

The Hyperactive Childrens Support Group belive that a link exists between this additive and hyperactive behavioural disorders in children.

Whilst being a very commonly used colour in the UK its use is banned in Norway and Austria."

And as for allura red:

"Orange-red colour used in sweets, drinks and condiments, medications and cosmetics, A red synthetic azo dye introduced in the early eighties to replace Amaranth, E123, in the United States of America where E123 is prohibited.

May have slightly less allergy/intolerance reaction by aspirin intolerant people and asthmatics than most of the azo dyes, although those with skin sensitivities should be careful. Allura red has also been connected with cancer in mice.

Not recommended for consumption by children.

Banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and Norway."

So banned in some countries but not here.

Oh and here are the ingredients to Apple Zings:
Corn, Wheat and Whole Grain Oat Flour, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Apple Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavor, Milled Corn, Dried Apples, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate and Ascorbic Acid), Modified Wheat Starch, Cinnamon, Yellow 6, Niacin (Niacinamide), Reduced Iron, Zinc (Zinc Oxide), Vitamin A Palmitate, Baking Soda, Vitamin B12, Folate (Folic Acid), Yellow 5, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin hydrochloride), Vitamin D, Red 40, Blue 1, BHT (to preserve freshness)

And this is the ingredients of Marshmallow Mateys:
Whole Grain Oat Flour (includes the Oat Bran), Sugar, Corn Syrup, Wheat Starch, Modified Corn Starch, Dextrose, Contains 2% or Less of: Salt, Gelatin, Artificial Flavor, Yellows 5 & 6, Blue 1, Red 40, Trisodium Phosphate, Vitamins & Minerals: Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Niacin (Niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate), Vitamin D, Reduced Iron, Zinc (Zinc Oxide), Calcium Carbonate

They are from the American Imoort section so they are perceived as a novelty as opposed to a daily food.

Moreover America is known for corn syrup, GM grains and generally high sugar "sweets" for breakfast.

I don't see the issue really.

In the time it took you to post this thread and this one

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/2452827-Harmful-cereals?msgid=56220940#56220940

... you could have googled the ingredients yourself and discovered your mate was mistaken.