Baby food under scanner over ‘misleading’ nutrition claims

Health campaigners have called for a clampdown on misleading nutrition claims on baby and toddler pouches, claiming that they contain up to four teaspoons of sugar.

Stating that 87 per cent of shoppers would find it useful to see added sugar in baby and infant food – including that from processed fruit – displayed on packaging, Action on Sugar is now calling for the removal of “misleading” health claims on these products.

Action on Sugar analysed almost 100 baby and toddler breakfast products and found high sugar levels across the range and brands, bringing leading names like Ella’s Kitchen under scanner.

While Ella’s Kitchen Banana, Apple & Blueberry Baby Rice were found to contain 14.5g of sugar per pouch, the equivalent of four teaspoons, Ella’s Kitchen Banana Baby Brekkie contained 13.6g of sugar per serving, and Ella’s Kitchen Bananas, Apricots and Baby Rice, with 13.5g, Yahoo! Finance reported.

This was followed by Ella’s Kitchen Banana Baby Brekkie, containing 13.6g of sugar per serving, and Ella’s Kitchen Bananas, Apricots and Baby Rice, with 13.5g, stated reports.

While Heinz By Nature Creamed Porridge claimed to use “only natural ingredients” and “sugar from a natural source”, Action on Sugar claimed that it contained plain sugar.

“It’s a scandal that certain food companies are being allowed to peddle their high-sugar products to parents with very young children despite being aware that babies and toddlers shouldn’t be having any added sugar at all,” Queen Mary University of London professor of cardiovascular medicine and Action on Sugar chairman, Graham MacGregor said.

“An unhealthy diet high in saturated fat, salt and sugar and low in fruit and vegetables is the biggest cause of death and disability globally and costs the UK alone more than £100 billion annually.”

“Our children should not have to suffer unnecessarily from this. Manufacturers should act responsibly and commit to reducing sugar, salt and calories instead of foisting unhealthy products with misleading nutrition claims upon well-meaning parents,” he added.