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Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Horrifying truth about baby food pouches that contain alarming amounts of nasty ingredient
A BBC Panorama investigation found that some popular baby food pouches contain more of certain ingredients than a one-year-old should have in an entire day, as well as lacking essential nutrients Some popular baby food pouches sold in UK supermarkets — including those by Ella's Kitchen — contain more of one unhealthy ingredient than a one-year-old should consume in an entire day, it has been revealed. Government guidelines recommend that infants have as little sugar as possible, with a maximum of 10g per day. However, laboratory testing commissioned by a BBC Panorama investigation found that some products exceeded this, with one pouch from Ella's Kitchen containing a staggering 19.6g of sugar, equivalent to more than four teaspoons — more than is found in many fizzy drinks. The investigation also revealed that most products tested failed to provide sufficient vitamin C or iron, both essential nutrients for infants' growth and development. READ MORE: Boy, 3, dies in scorching hot 31C car after step-mum forgets to take him to nursery Experts described the findings as 'really concerning' and criticised misleading marketing, such as 'no added sugar' claims. While technically true — no sugar is added — the process of pureeing fruit releases free sugars, making them more rapidly absorbable than those in whole fruit. Free sugars include those naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices, or released during processing — like when fruit is pureed. Unlike eating whole fruit, where sugars are contained within cell walls, pureed fruit can lead to sugar spikes and increased risk of tooth decay and obesity. Dr. Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, highlighted the impact on dental health, saying: 'We're seeing children barely out of weaning needing multiple tooth extractions. It's not all down to baby food pouches, but they're clearly contributing to the problem.' Over 250 baby food pouches are currently on sale in the UK, favoured by parents for their convenience and long shelf life. As part of the investigation, the BBC tested fruit, yoghurt, and savoury pouches from six leading brands and supermarkets: Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi, and Lidl. Little Freddie and Piccolo both defended the accuracy of their labelling, while Ella's Kitchen said it "would never use misleading claims." Heinz declined to respond to questions about marketing. The BBC also found 'halo marketing' was widespread - branding products with phrases like 'Good for Brains' or 'as nutritionally good as homemade' despite questionable nutritional value. When it came to savoury pouches — often used by parents as a main meal — all tested products failed to meet iron requirements. An infant needs 7.8mg of iron daily, but the highest level found in any pouch was just 1mg, with some meat-based options delivering as little as 0.1mg. Vitamin C levels were also alarmingly low. In one case, Piccolo's Pure Mango pouch retained less than 0.1mg of vitamin C — compared to 18.2mg found in the same quantity of fresh mango. This is far below the recommended 25mg daily intake for infants. Although Public Health England drafted voluntary baby food guidelines in 2020, they have yet to be published under either the current Labour-led or previous Conservative governments. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by stating that food safety laws already ensure baby food claims must be clear and accurate, and reiterated its commitment to improving children's health and tackling obesity through its broader Plan for Change.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Baby food pouches fail to give infants the nutrients they need, experts reveal
Baby food pouches from six leading brands fail to meet children's key nutritional needs, researchers found. Brightly packaged products made by Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi and Lidl were tested for their nutritional value and found to be lacking. As well as being low in iron, which is vital for an infant's development, some contained more sugar than a one-year-old should consume in a day – despite being marked as containing 'no added sugar'. The BBC Panorama investigation also found that nearly all the vitamin C in one fruit pouch had been lost during the manufacturing process. Dr Alison Tedstone, a former government chief nutritionist, said the nutritional claims of baby food pouches were 'misleading', adding: 'You think as a parent it is a healthy product, and it just isn't.' Dental experts also warned against feeding babies through the plastic spout on pouches, as this may cause tooth decay. Eddie Crouch, of the British Dental Association, said: 'Parents of infants are still being marketed products more sugary than Coke. Voluntary action has failed. We need government to step up and force industry to do the right thing.' Children who were 'barely out of weaning' were going to hospital for multiple tooth extractions, Mr Crouch told the BBC. 'It's obviously not all down to these pouches,' he added. 'But clearly, regular use and feeding with these pouches with such high levels of sugar cause serious problems to the general health of children as they're growing up.' Pouches that do not contain added sugar may contain up to four teaspoons of 'free sugars' created when fruit is blended. Last year, an international study found more than 200 branded food products aimed at UK babies and toddlers failed to meet World Health Organisation nutrition and marketing standards, with excessive sugar, salt or calories. Experts say big brands surround their products with healthy-sounding words and phrases – known as 'halo marketing' – to trick parents. Ella's Kitchen, for example, describes savoury products as 'perfectly balanced for growing babies', while Piccolo claims many pouches are 'packed with goodness'. Some Little Freddie pouches are branded as 'Good for Brains' and Heinz claims some of its fruit products are 'as nutritionally good as homemade'. Market leader Ella's Kitchen agreed its products should be used sparingly, were not replacements for homemade meals and could cause health problems if used as children's main source of nutrition. The firm added that it would 'never, ever' put profit above the health of children. Lidl said it welcomed clear government guidelines, Little Freddie said it actively participated in policy consultations and Piccolo said it developed 'recipes that combine fruits with vegetables' to reduce sugar levels. Aldi said it would relabel its fruit pouches to reflect NHS guidance that babies should not be given solid food until the age of six months.
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Warning baby food pouches 'more sugary than Coke' risk giving infants a sweet tooth for life
Research by the British Dental Association, BBC Panorama and Leeds University reveals what is really in those healthy-sounding baby food pouches Baby food pouches are more sugary than Coke and risk giving infants a sweet tooth for life, experts warn. Shock research has found some contain more sugar in a single pouch than a one-year-old should have in a day. The British Dental Association (BDA) and BBC Panorama commissioned laboratory testing of 18 pouches made by six leading brands Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi and Lidl and found over a quarter of the fruit-based pouches contained more sugar by volume than Coca Cola. A number of the savoury pouches often used as meal replacements were also low in iron. Eddie Crouch, chair of the BDA, said: 'Parents of infants are still being marketed products sugarier than Coke. It shouldn't take dentists naming and shaming the worst offenders to bring about needed change. Voluntary action has failed. We need Government to step up and force industry to do the right thing.' Manufacturers responded to the BBC acknowledging the pouches should only be a complementary part of a child's varied weaning diet. The probe found parents of infants as young as four months were marketed pouches that contain the equivalent of up to 184% of the sugar levels of the soft drink. A 330ml can of Coca-Cola in the UK contains 35 grams of sugar. This equates to 10.6 grams of sugar per 100ml. Research shows too much can lead to tooth decay, weight gain and obesity, which increases the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. It can also impair brain development. The NHS says an infant should have as little sugar as possible and a one-year-old should have no more than 10g of free sugars a day. Free sugars occur when fruit is pureed, which releases sugar from inside fruit cell walls and can be absorbed much more quickly. Experts agree eating fresh fruit is much better. A recent BDA report indicated that 37 of 60 fruit pouches found on supermarket shelves contained more free sugar than this 10g guideline. Separate research by Leeds University assessed 632 baby food products marketed towards babies and toddlers under three years old. It found that more than half of snack products contain added sugars while 41% of main meals were too sweet and had high sugar levels. It concluded 89% of fruit products should carry a 'high sugar' warning label according to international recommendations Researcher Dr Diane Threapleton, of Leeds University, said: Dr Threapleton said: 'Babies and toddlers are in a period of rapid and important growth and good nutrition is needed to support their development. It is therefore critical that commercial products are nutritious options, not laden with sugar. 'Commercial baby foods are often highly pureed. When the main ingredients are fruit, this poses a particular problem because the sugar that would be contained within the food matrix, and therefore slowly digested, becomes readily available in the mouth. This means that pureed baby foods taste very sweet, strengthening preferences for sugary foods throughout life, and teeth are being exposed to high levels of sugar.' The BDA and Panorama investigation commissioned a laboratory approved by the UK Accreditation Service to independently test the nutritional value of a fruit, yoghurt and savoury pouch from each of the six leading brands. Fruit pouches marketed as having "no added sugar" contain about four teaspoons of so-called "free sugars" which are created when fruit is blended. Advertising claims for the pouches included phrases like 'only naturally occurring sugars", 'no added sugars", "nutritionist approved', 'organic', 'high in fibre' and 'containing 1 of your 5 a day'. Manufacturers insisted to the Mirror that parents would be aware such products would be so high in natural sugars. Dr Alison Tedstone, who spent nine years as chief nutritionist to the UK government, told the BBC: "You think as a parent it is a healthy product, and it just isn't. I would hope that ministers, when they think about the baby food industry, recognise that we need to protect our babies. [Businesses] are not going to change unless they are forced to." UK guidance recommends to start introducing solid foods to babies around 6 months of age, alongside breast milk or formula. The BDA said that at the time this research was undertaken market leader Ella's Kitchen and Piccolo were pushing products to 4-month olds contrary to Government guidelines, stating that 'every baby is different'. Piccolo has since dropped its four months marketing. There are more than 250 of these products on the multi-million pound baby pouch market - they have become a staple for many households with babies and children up to the age of two or three. They are convenient and have long shelf lives. Savoury pouches in particular are used by some families as replacements for main meals. Some were found to contain less than 5% of the key nutrient, iron, that an infant needs each day. Baby food pouches are topped off with a spout but both the NHS and the World Health Organization say it should not be used to suck directly from the pouch. It means babies can eat too fast and it can cause dental decay. The Leeds University study found pouches with spouts make up over a third of the baby foods market (38%) and around half did not include a recommendation not to let children drink via the spout. The university's survey of 1,000 parents found that families rely on commercial baby and toddler foods, with 47% using these 'always' or 'most of the time'. Dr Threapleton said: 'We know that many parents and carers rely on these commercial baby foods, and in the UK they are so widely available as to be almost unavoidable.' She added: 'Voluntary guidelines are often ineffective, and so regulation is needed to make sure that change happens. With around 1.7 million children between six and 36 months in the UK, 'baby food' is a massive market. Widespread availability of inappropriate products with poor nutritional quality will negatively impact child growth and development.' Sue Davies, head of food policy at consumer group Which?, said: "It's unacceptable that so many foods and snacks aimed at babies have such poor nutritional quality and high sugar levels. To make matters worse, these items are often misleadingly marketed as being healthy - making it difficult for parents to make informed choices about the best products to buy for their children. "The government urgently needs to update the out-of-date laws for commercial baby foods to ensure there are tighter controls on their composition - including limits on their sugar and salt content - make labelling clear and upfront and clamp down on any misleading marketing claims that suggest products are healthier than they really are." Barbara Crowther, Children's Food Campaign Manager at Sustain, which supported the parent Leeds University polling, said: 'All babies and children have a right to grow up healthy, but overwhelmingly the commercial baby and toddler food industry is misleading parents about the nutritional benefits of their products. Millions of parents regularly use these brands and want to trust them, so they're shocked and angry to learn the truth - that they're not nearly as healthy as they claim to be, and they're not even being regulated properly.' All of the brands investigated by Panorama said their products were intended as a complementary part of a child's varied weaning diet. Market leader Ella's Kitchen insisted 'nothing is more important to us than the safety of little ones' A spokesperson said: 'It is misleading to compare our pouches to fizzy drinks, which are nutritionally empty. Our pouches contain only naturally occurring sugars from whole fruit and veg, alongside fibre, vitamins, and minerals – benefits that fizzy drinks simply don't offer. There are no added sugars or artificial ingredients in any of our products, which are specifically designed to support healthy growth and development in young children. 'What's more, these comparisons are often based on per-100g figures – not on the actual amounts consumed. A fizzy drink is typically consumed in one go and delivers far more sugar overall, without any of the nutritional value. We are confident that parents understand that fruit can be high in natural sugars, while containing vital nutrients.' The company insisted it had already made the decision to change its marketing from four months plus, to six months plus, before being contacted by the BBC. A Kraft Heinz spokesperson said: 'We're proud of the role we play in families' lives and remain committed to the health and well-being of infants and young children. We provide quality products based on nutrition science that meet the nutrient requirements specific to this life stage and adhere to stringent UK / EU regulation. Our convenient, resealable pouches, made from natural ingredients with no added sugars, should be used as a complementary part of a varied weaning diet (6+ months) and are designed to be squeezed into a bowl or straight onto a spoon – as communicated on pack." A spokesman for Aldi said: 'Our fruit and vegetable first taste pouches can be used to introduce children to new flavours and full nutritional information is shown on the packaging. Any sugar in them is naturally occurring and would be the same in a fruit puree made at home. In line with other brands and retailers, we will be moving all of our products to '6 months+' going forward.' Lidl said it offers one of the smallest baby food ranges in the market and aligns with wider industry norms. A spokeswoman said: 'All our pouches meet UK and EU safety and nutritional regulations, and we always look to align where there is guidance available. Our products are all organic and are therefore free from artificial additives, contain no added sugar or salt, and are clearly labelled to support informed choices.' A spokesman for the British Specialist Nutrition Association said: 'Baby pouches can play an important role in offering parents convenient options to allow their little ones to experience new textures and flavours as they grow and develop, in a safe way. Whether homemade, or shop bought, the most important thing is in providing babies with a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet.' A spokesman for the Department for Health and Social Care said: 'Good nutrition is a vital component of our aim to ensure all babies and infants have the best start in life. Existing laws already set nutrition needs for baby foods, and we support enforcement against any product that does not meet these expectations. More widely, we are committed to tackling the childhood obesity crisis and improving children's health through our Plan for Change, and the upcoming junk food advertising ban demonstrates the scale of our ambitions in this area.'
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Health warning over baby food after probe reveals shocking level of harmful ingredient
Britain's most sugar-laden baby foods were today named and shamed. Some products — including ones sold by Ella's Kitchen — contained more sugar than a one-year-old should have in a day. Government guidance states infants should have as little sugar as possible, and that a one-year-old child should have no more than 10g of free sugars a day. But laboratory testing of more than a dozen baby food pouches sold in UK supermarkets found some contained higher levels than those found in fizzy drinks, with one reporting over 19g — more than four teaspoons. The alarming investigation also discovered most failed to even provide sufficient vitamin C or iron, essential nutrients infants need every day. Experts today labelled the BBC probe 'really concerning', arguing that 'no added sugar' statements on packaging may make parents think the products are healthier than they are. Doctors, dentists and other experts want ministers to ban products being sold with 'intentionally misleading' health claims. There are currently more than 250 baby food pouch products available in the UK — their convenience and long shelf lives have seen them become a staple for many households with young children. As part of the investigation, BBC Panorama commissioned a lab to independently test the nutritional value of a fruit, yoghurt and savoury pouch from each of the four leading brands and two supermarkets. These included Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi and Lidl. The highest 'free sugar' level found by the BBC was Ella's Kitchen's Bananas and Apples, which has 19.6g of sugar — equivalent to more than four teaspoons. Free sugars — those added to products — are released from fruit when it is pureed. Unlike eating fresh fruit, which is much better for a child, pureeing releases sugar from inside fruit cell walls and can be absorbed much more quickly. Yet Ella's Kitchen, as well as Lidl, Aldi, Piccolo and Heinz, label their products as containing 'no added sugar' despite the tests showing otherwise. Eating too much sugar over time can lead to weight gain and tooth decay. Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Association (BDA), said hospitals had seen young children 'barely out of weaning' needing multiple tooth extractions because of tooth decay caused by their diets. The highest 'free sugar' level found by the BBC was Ella's Kitchen's Bananas and Apples, which has 19.6g of sugar — equivalent to more than four teaspoons. Of the four pouches tested containing meat — known to be a good source of iron — Piccolo's Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese contained the lowest level at 0.1mg He said: 'It's obviously not all down to these pouches. 'But clearly, regular use and feeding with these pouches with such high levels of sugar cause serious problems to the general health of children as they're growing up.' Panorama also found many of the biggest brands use 'halo-marketing', surrounding products with healthy words or phrases, which could potentially 'mislead' parents. Piccolo said it develops 'recipes that combine fruits with vegetables' to reduce sugar levels, while Ella's Kitchen said that, 'the sugar content would be the same if you pureed the ingredients yourself at home' and that it has 'a dedicated sugar reduction pathway for 2025'. Some Little Freddie pouches come branded as 'Good for Brains' and Heinz claims some of its fruit products are 'as nutritionally good as homemade'. According to the BBC, Piccolo and Little Freddie said their packaging accurately represented the key ingredients and flavours contained in their products, while Ella's Kitchen said it 'would never use' misleading claims. Heinz did not address the BBC's questions on marketing. Savoury pouches, meanwhile, are often used by parents as a main meal. Yet, none of those tested came close to providing the 7.8mg of iron an infant requires in a day, the probe found — crucial for healthy growth, development, and brain function. If a child does not have enough iron in their diet they will become iron-deficient and may even develop anaemia requiring treatment. A lack of iron may cause a child to look pale, become tired more easily, become irritable and have a poor appetite. Of the four pouches tested containing meat — known to be a good source of iron — Piccolo's Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese contained the lowest level at 0.1mg. This was followed by Heinz's Sweet Potato, Chicken and Veggies, with just over 0.3mg of iron and Lidl's Chicken Casserole with 0.4mg. Even those with the most, still failed to meet the requirements dramatically. Little Freddie Butternut Squash, Red Lentil and Coconut contained 1mg of iron, while Ella's Kitchen Spag Bol had 0.7mg. The BBC also found that nearly all the vitamin C in one of the fruit pouches tested had been lost during the manufacturing process. Vitamin C is important for immune systems and an infant needs 25mg a day, the government says. But the Pure Mango pouch from Piccolo had, in effect, no vitamin C left — less than 0.1mg. This is despite the same amount of fresh mango (70g) containing 18.2mg of vitamin C. Voluntary guidelines for manufacturers aimed at improving standards were drawn up for the government by Public Health England in 2020. However, none have been published by either the current Labour or former Conservative Government. Existing laws already ensure that the safety and quality of baby foods and the claims made on packaging are clear and accurate, the Department of Health and Social Care said. It also added that it was 'committed to tackling the childhood obesity crisis and improving children's health through our Plan for Change, external'.
South China Morning Post
20-04-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
England launches HK$110 million campaign to tackle dental health crisis
England recently launched a national campaign to teach children in schools and nurseries how to brush their teeth properly. The nation is dealing with a dental health crisis. In some deprived areas, up to six in 10 children have rotting teeth by the age of five, according to official data. Concern over the state of children's teeth comes amid a population-wide emergency in dental services. People are resorting to 'Victorian-era' solutions, such as pulling out their own teeth. 'One in five five-year-olds have tooth decay in the UK,' Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X. The scheme is expected to reach 600,000 children aged between three and five years. The British Dental Association (BDA) said around 12 million people are looking for a National Health Service (NHS) dentist providing free care. An increasing number of practitioners are turning their backs on the NHS in favour of private practice. The UK has 49 dentists per 100,000 people. The £11 million (HK$110 million) initiative for supervised tooth brushing will target the country's most deprived areas. Brushing your teeth properly with fluoride toothpaste twice daily for about two minutes helps keep the teeth and mouth healthy (see graphic). The scheme could save the state-run NHS millions by reducing the number of children who need hospital care to have bad teeth extracted. 'Supervised tooth-brushing is a tried and tested policy that will save children from pain and our NHS a fortune,' said BDA chairman Eddie Crouch. Agence France-Presse Questions Why is it important to brush your teeth properly and not just quickly? What else can you do to keep your teeth healthy?
