March/April 2003 Alternative Health
Common Bread Preservative Found to Affect Children's Behavior

A new Darwin study shows that a preservative in our daily bread can cause irritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance. Reported in the August issue of the Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health, the study tested the effects of calcium propionate (preservative 282) on 27 Darwin children. After eating only four slices of bread a day for three days, 14 of the children who ate bread with preservatives showed worse behavior.

Principal researcher Sue Dengate, who has written several best-selling books on food additives and children's behavior, said the Darwin research was the first published study in the world to investigate the link between behavioral problems and calcium propionate - a link denied by the Australian Food and Grocery Council.

"Testing for behavioral toxicity should be a part of all food additive safety evaluation, but the Australian food regulator, Food Standards Australia New Zealand, has yet to take this seriously," Ms Dengate said.

Ms Dengate, a food intolerance counselor, began the study with pediatrician Dr Alan Ruben when food regulators ignored her reports about the effects of calcium propionate. The controlled study started by putting children with behavior problems on the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital elimination diet, which avoided 50 harmful additives as well as natural salicylates, amines and glutamates.

"The results in this phase of testing were remarkable," said Dengate. "Behavior ratings for irritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance dropped from the 95th percentile to the 31st percentile showing just how badly some kids are affected by a range of chemicals in our food."

"When the kids ate disguised loaves of bread, half of them reacted to the bread containing preservatives." "This is a real wake-up call for the food industry," said Dengate.

Nearly all bread in Australia now contains propionates, added for manufacturers' convenience to allow sliced hot loaves to be put into plastic bags without growing mould. There is no need for this additive if bread slicer blades are kept clean. Use of 282 has recently expanded into more foods, including cheese, fruit juices, dried fruit and emulsifiers.

"If your child is easily annoyed, demanding, argumentative, can't concentrate on reading or homework, is easily distracted, restless, fidgety and can't sit still, or has difficulty settling down to sleep, think food chemicals," said Dengate.

"The reaction is more likely to be moodiness or 'short fuse' than hyperactivity. Loud voice, lethargy, 'growing pains', stomach aches, headaches and bed-wetting or urinary urgency were also reported."

"This is an important public health issue. Effects of food colors on children’s behavior and learning are well documented. Food colors are in processed foods, which parents can choose to avoid, but this additive is in a healthy staple eaten every day. Parents don't even know it is there."

"Food regulators and manufacturers have failed us when it takes research funded by community donation to investigate behavioral and learning effects of a common preservative."

Further information is available at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info or from Sue Dengate 08.8981 2444, 08.8981 2099, fx 08.8942 3099 sdengate@ozemail.com.au