Does gerber baby food have preservatives


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There comes a time in every baby’s life when he or she is ready to start on solids. And when that point comes, you’re going to be just a little bit overwhelmed with all of the different options, like Beech-Nut vs Gerber Baby Food, and which to choose between the two.

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Contents

  • 1 Main Differences Between Beech-Nut vs Gerber Baby Food 
  • 2 Beech-Nut Baby Food Review
    • 2.1 Beech-Nut Nutrition Features
    • 2.2 Pros
    • 2.3 Cons
    • 2.4 Beech-Nut Reviews
  • 3 Gerber Baby Food Review – Is Gerber Baby Food Safe?
    • 3.1 Gerber Baby Food Features
    • 3.2 Pros
    • 3.3 Cons
    • 3.4 Gerber Baby Food Reviews
  • 4 The Verdict: Gerber vs Beech-Nut
  • 5 FAQ’s About Beech Nut and Gerber
    • 5.1 Question: Is Gerber food bad for babies?
    • 5.2 Question: Is homemade baby food healthier?
    • 5.3 Question: How long does Beech-Nut baby food last?
    • 5.4 Question: What is the safest baby food?
  • 6 Beech-Nut vs Gerber Baby Food: Final Thoughts
    • 6.1 Further Baby Food Research
    • 6.2 Recommended Baby Food

Main Differences Between

Beech-Nut vs Gerber Baby Food 

The Main Differences Between Beech-Nut vs Gerber baby food are:

  • Beech-Nut ingredients are organic and have no preservatives or additives, whereas Gerber Baby does.
  • Beech-Nut lids are for single-use, whereas Gerber baby food comes in jars that you can reuse because of the style of the lid.
  • Beech-Nut is more affordable for most families, whereas Gerber Baby has a longer shelf life.

On the surface, they might seem like virtually the same kind of food option for your growing baby or toddler, but there are a few differences that set them apart from one another.

When you look at the consistency of the different baby foods, the different kinds of containers they both come in and, of course, the cost, you can see how they both differ from each other. You’re also likely to understand why one may be the stronger option over the other.

As with most baby foods, Beech-Nut comes in a variety of different flavors with options for young babies and even toddlers. Likewise, Gerber has not only a variety of different baby food options but also baby and toddler snacks to help them get used to solid foods.

That probably doesn’t make it any easier to choose between the two, but Gerber also tends to have a thicker consistency that your baby may have a hard time digesting at first.

Then again, Beech-Nut isn’t necessarily as easy to find in a pinch at the grocery store. The best thing to do is to compare them both and figure it out that way, but regardless, your baby is sure to have a healthy baby food option in either brand.

Bottom Line Up Front: I much prefer giving my little ones the organic – clean ingredients without filler – found in Beech-Nut products here.

Beech-Nut Baby Food Review

To make the healthiest baby food possible,  Beech-Nut Baby Food uses the least amount of steps between putting ingredients together and cooking it. This ensures not only a pleasing flavor for your baby or toddler but also the right kind of texture that will agree with sensitive tummies.

Regardless of what foods you choose for your little one, all Beech-Nut baby food is made with 100% natural ingredients.

The company’s goal is to make authentic baby food from real ingredients, cooked in a way similar to how you as a parent would make it yourself. Beech-Nut uses the method of mixing and pureeing the food before it’s cooked, and the air is then taken out to preserve the freshness of the food.

This means that there’s no need for any added ingredients, natural or artificial. Even the pouches and glass jars were explicitly chosen to keep the contents tasting normal. This way, there’s less of a chance of the taste of your baby’s food being affected by plastic containers, and you can be sure that the glass jar is safe and BPA-free.

From choosing ingredients to the actual packaging, Beech-Nut seems to have taken great care in their baby food every step of the way.

Beech-Nut Nutrition Features

  • Flavors/Varieties: Beech-Nut Baby Food comes in yogurt melts, cereal puffs, granola bars, cereals, baby food jars, and baby food pouches. Flavors include apple and green beans, corn and potato chowder, and mango, chicken, curry, and rice.
  • Age Range: Foods from the brand are made for children from four months and up.
  • Baby Food Container Style: The baby food comes in glass jars and pouches.
  • Price: Shop Now with The Baby Swag.
  • Where To Buy: You can buy it on Amazon or in-store at Walmart and Target.
  • Has This Item Been Recalled?: While there are some complaints about Beech-Nut Baby Food, there are no recent or current recalls.

Pros

  • Even if you don’t buy the organic Beech-Nut Baby Food, the ingredients are still all-natural and healthy.
  • Unlike other baby foods, there are no added artificial ingredients.
  • With glass jars, you can be sure that your baby’s food will come in safe and BPA-free containers.
  • Beech-Nut has foods for babies of almost every age, including toddlers.

Cons

  • While glass jars are safer for the contents, there is the chance of accidentally dropping and breaking jars of Beech-Nut baby food.
  • Given the wide variety of flavors, there may be some specific food combinations that your child doesn’t like, so it’s more of a trial and error process.
  • When you order packs of the jarred baby food online, you run the risk of receiving some broken jars in the box.

Beech-Nut Reviews

“I love Beech-Nut! Good consistency (and consistently so) and on target for the age range. Always smells and looks appetizing, with wholesome ingredients. Nothing to complain about and my daughter laps this up.” – Annie V. on Amazon.

“Both kids lived this brand. They make a variety of good flavors. What we like the most about it is how it’s organic. Plus it’s only made up of the two or three organic vegetables that are listed on the jar.” – Amrou Awaysheh on Amazon.

“Love these, all real ingredients and very healthy. Easy to travel with and my son loves them! Wish they were a bit more affordable, but for the quality, we will take it!” – Amy Curtis on Amazon.

“This is my son’s favorite! I love that it is thick and doesn’t drip off the spoon. I also love the ease of simply opening the cap instead of having to pull back hard to grip foil on other brands. ” – Amber L. on Amazon.

Must Try

Build a meal plan for your baby with Yumi

They make and deliver fresh baby meals each week. These are either blends and purées for babies, baby led weaning meal plans or finger food for older babies.

Check Pricing

We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Gerber Baby Food Review – Is Gerber Baby Food Safe?

With Gerber baby food, the brand ensures that the different fruit and vegetable combinations are just right for your little one thanks to the panel of babies who test out each new baby food before it hits the shelves. Gerber baby food is a well-known brand built on safety, so it is certainly trustworthy.

Each stage that Gerber offers brings something new to the table for babies to enjoy and become familiar with. 1st Foods are made to be as smooth as possible for easier digestion and the most part; they don’t contain too many complicate fruits or veggies to incorporate too early into your baby’s diet.

2nd Foods are equally as smooth, but they contain a wider variety of ingredients to further your child’s palate. Once you get to the toddler and crawler stages within Gerber baby foods, you can introduce your little one to baby food pouches and Lil’ Bits.

The Gerber Lil’ Bits are thicker than the other baby foods from Gerber, and they include recipes like Chicken Itty-Bitty Noodle Dinner and Farmer’s Market Vegetable & Turkey Dinner. Unlike Beech-Nut, most Gerber baby foods don’t come in glass jars, but there are different jars, plastic containers, and pouches to choose from, depending on what your baby likes.

Gerber Baby Food Features

  • Flavors/Varieties: Gerber baby food offers fruit and vegetable squeeze pouches, organic jarred foods, small plastic containers, puffs, cereal, and cereal bars. The different food combinations include apple-strawberry-beet, pear-spinach, and herb vegetable pasta chicken dinner.
  • Age Range: Gerber offers food for both babies and toddlers, starting with babies who can sit up supported.
  • Baby Food Container Style: In addition to some glass jars, Gerber also offers baby food in pouches and plastic containers with peel-back films and plastic lids.
  • Price: Shop Now with The Baby Swag.
  • Where To Buy: You can buy Gerber baby food on Amazon or in-store at Target and Walmart.
  • Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no official recalls on Gerber baby food, but there are reports of trace amounts of metals being found in some varieties of the baby food.

Pros

  • Compared to other baby foods, like Beech-Nut, Gerber baby food is a lot more affordable for some families.
  • Each stage of the baby food is designed to be easily digestible for different children in the correct age and development stage.
  • Because of the reusable lid on the small plastic containers of baby food, you can save any remaining food for later if need be.
  • The first size, at two ounces, is just the right size for babies starting out with solids.

Cons

  • Gerber baby food has a longer shelf life than some other baby foods, but that could mean that it has added preservatives that some parents may not love.
  • To thicken some of the other more advanced Gerber options, cornstarch is added, which may not sit well with some babies’ stomachs.
  • Some vegetables may be very bland or have almost no flavor, making them unpleasant for little ones.

Gerber Baby Food Reviews

“Great price and my kids love it — can’t go wrong. It sometimes is a bit cheaper than the grocery store, and comes to your door… what more could you ask for? I’ve never had quality issues with this.” – Laura B. on Amazon.

“So far I’ve purchased the flavors peas, carrots, butternut squash, pumpkin, and green beans. My baby loves them all. What’s more, is the convenience of purchasing them online and having them delivered in bulk to my home — so easy!” – R. Entler on Amazon.

“This is great for your little one, no artificial flavors or additives. But I found out after buying the stage 1, that stage 2 is cheaper, and you get more.” – Desiree Calora on Amazon.

“For the products — my baby loves this one. I feel good giving her something vegetarian (those little-jarred meat baby foods creep me out – how do they get the meat so gelatinous?!) which tastes somewhat like ‘real’ food instead of just plain veggie or plain fruit all the time.” – H. Harper on Amazon.

The Verdict: Gerber vs Beech-Nut

At the end of the day, all that matters the most is that you find a baby food that your baby enjoys and that they can digest the easiest. When comparing Beech-Nut and Gerber baby foods, though, the stronger option seems to be the Beech-Nut.

It’s not only a little less costly, but it also tends to have fewer additives than the Gerber baby food options. Depending on your own child’s preferences, he or she may like the Gerber baby foods more, but it’s also hard to ignore that the consistency of Beech-Nut may be the easiest for little ones.

It’s a little thinner than the Gerber baby foods out there, which can be hard for some babies to get used to, but it may also be the easiest for babies just starting out on solids.

FAQ’s About Beech Nut and Gerber

Question: Is Gerber food bad for babies?

Answer: While you might think that a puree would be the perfect meal for your baby, have in mind that Gerber uses additives and preservatives in baby food that it’s almost like you are feeding your baby a spoon of sugar.

Question: Is homemade baby food healthier?

Answer: Making a homemade puree and juice from fresh fruit is definitely healthier than only buying pre-made food for your baby. However, always make sure that your kid’s meal does not exceed the recommended calorie intake.

Must Try

Build a meal plan for your baby with Yumi

They make and deliver fresh baby meals each week. These are either blends and purées for babies, baby led weaning meal plans or finger food for older babies.

Check Pricing

We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Question: How long does Beech-Nut baby food last?

Answer: Beech-Nut baby food lasts 18 months, in comparison to other brands that also offer jarred baby food, whose shelf life is 24 months, and the main reason why is the lack of preservatives in the food.

Question: What is the safest baby food?

Answer: Both Beech-Nut and Gerber qualify as very safe baby food for your child!

Beech-Nut vs Gerber Baby Food: Final Thoughts

As long as you’re giving your baby or toddler healthy baby food that they enjoy, then you’re doing something right. In this case, the Beech-Nut may be the stronger option, but both baby foods are plenty healthy in their ways.

Since both brands offer natural and organic options, that’s half the battle in finding the right healthy baby food for your child. Choosing your baby’s first solid food can be hard enough without having to decide between two specific brands that have some clear differences from each other.

But while you may at first expect Gerber to be the winning baby food, in this instance, Beech-Nut is the way to go.

Further Baby Food Research

Definitely cross reference our frequently updated baby food recall list and our best baby food brand ratings for additional context.

  • Best DIY Baby Food Makers
  • Yumi vs Little Spoon Compared
  • Gerber Gentle vs Soothe – Which Baby Formula is Best?
  • Yumi Review: Is This The Best Baby Food to Opt For?

Recommended Baby Food




WHAT'S IN GERBER BABY FOODS? — Ingredient Inspector

Jan 9

WHAT'S IN GERBER BABY FOODS?

Dana McCorvie

BABY FOOD, READER REQUESTED CATEGORY

Information updated July 2022

POTENTIAL BABY FOOD TOXICITY: There is significant, current and scary data regarding the presence of ingredients which are not on any ingredient labels >> the toxic components which have seeped into almost all of the manufactured foods + beverages we consume and, by definition, most mass-produced baby foods. This September 29, 2021 report includes several brands including Gerber Baby Foods:

subcommittee report on toxic heavy metals in many baby foods

Here is additional information on toxins in many Baby Foods from Healthy Babies Bright Futures:

BABY FOOD TOXINS

GERBER BABY FOODS is owned by Switzerland-based Nestlé.

Here’s a statement from the Nestlé Corporate Web site:

“We believe in the power of food to enhance quality of life. We constantly explore and aim to push the boundaries of what is possible with food, beverage and nutritional health solutions to contribute to a healthier future.”

With that declaration from Nestlé in mind, let’s look at what’s in the Nestlé-owned #1 Baby Food in the U.S., Gerber. (Source for Brand ranking: Statista 2022)

STARTING WITH HOMEMADE: For easy means of comparison to Gerber and other manufactured Baby Foods, here is a quick look at what ingredients are in homemade Baby Foods >> any ingredient not in homemade Baby Foods is designated as Not In Kitchen™ >> these are ingredients we would never use at home to make Baby Foods.

Homemade Baby Foods include real and whole foods alone or in combination including Fruits, Veggies, Grains, Fish+Fowl+Beef and possibly Dairy. Although some of these ingredients contain Naturally-occurring Sugars, there is no Added Sugar in homemade Baby Food, so Sugar is designated as an ingredient which is Not In Kitchen as we look at these Baby Foods.

Our goal is to find manufactured Baby Foods which are Closest To Homemade® >> Baby Foods whose ingredients are closest to those we would use at home to make any given item.

ALMOST ALL OF NESTLE GERBER BABY FOODS CONTAIN INGREDIENTS Not In Kitchen: Many Nestlé Gerber products contain FDA-recognized Chemical Preservatives including Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid and Mixed Tocopherols. (Sources: Nestlé Gerber Web site 7/22; U.S. FDA 2022)

Unless specifically noted as ‘Naturally-occurring Citric Acid, Manufactured Citric Acid is made in a laboratory utilizing Aspergillus niger, a. k.a. Black Mold. (Source: National Library of Medicine U.S. Institutes of Health)

Learn more about potential reactions to Manufactured Citric Acid from a study — Potential role of the common food additive manufactured citric acid in eliciting significant inflammatory reactions contributing to serious disease states: A series of four case reports

From the study:

“Citric acid naturally exists in fruits and vegetables. However, it is not the naturally occurring citric acid, but the manufactured citric acid (MCA) that is used extensively as a food and beverage additive. Approximately 99% of the world’s production of MCA is carried out using the fungus Aspergillus niger since 1919. Aspergilus niger is a known allergen.”

The conclusion of this study is:

“We cannot conclusively affirm that Manufactured Citric Acid is the causative factor in the subjects’ inflammatory symptoms. However, our findings demonstrate a significant likelihood that MCA may be the culprit and are suggestive of valid concerns which warrant proper double blind studies to determine presence or absence of harm.

Source: National Library of Medicine U.S. Institutes of Health

The greater issue of concern is Accumulation >> it wouldn’t necessarily be a big deal if we consumed these Chemical Preservatives once in a while, but they are pervasive, especially in leading brands which tend to be from the biggest food companies. Check your pantry and fridge for just Citric Acid and you may be shocked by what you find. Click here to learn more about the study:

MANUFACTURED citric acid

Seen below, NESTLE GERBER CHICKEN & CARROT RAVIOLI IS BANNED AT WHOLE FOODS. Whole Foods cites certain ingredients as “Unacceptable in food” including Bleached Flours and there is Bleached Wheat Flour in this Nestlé Gerber Toddler Food. (Source for banned ingredients: Whole Foods Web site 7/22)

THROUGH THE NOT IN KITCHEN FILTER, THESE INGREDIENTS ARE IDENTIFIED IN NESTLE GERBER CHICKEN & CARROT RAVIOLI: Sugar, Bleached Wheat Flour, Soybean Oil, Carrageenan, Maltodextrin, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Dextrose, Flavor, Chicken Flavor, Tapioca Dextrin, Dehydrated Carrots, Modified Cornstarch and Modified Potato Starch.

NOTE: The FDA does not allow products which contain the ingredient in this Nestlé Gerber product — Autolyzed Yeast Extract — to say ‘No MSG’ on the package front because they both contain potentially harmful Glutamates.

Many food manufacturers have switched from using MSG — which has considerable negative consumer attitudes and awareness — to

seemingly less innocuous options for Taste Enhancers which naturally contain MSG such as Autolyzed Yeast Extract, which few people have heard of and it has the word ‘Yeast’ in it which we know is in bread and beer (so how bad could it be?).

From the FDA Web site 7/22: “MSG occurs naturally in ingredients such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate . . . foods with any ingredient that naturally contains MSG cannot claim “No MSG” or “No added MSG” on their packaging.”

Nestlé states,

“It is well known that what we eat and drink as children sets the foundation for our adult lives” . . . and then Nestlé adds four Sugar sources to a Main Meal Gerber offering for Toddlers . . . and Autolyzed Yeast Extract.

NESTLE ADDS SUGAR TO MAIN MEAL OFFERINGS ELSEWHERE IN THEIR PORTFOLIO: Here’s another example of a Nestlé product made for the U.S. with 6 instances of Sugars >> Nestlé Hot Pockets Big & Bold Chicken Bacon Ranch which is banned at Whole Foods (all Nestlé Hot Pockets are banned at Whole Foods) and contains multiple ingredients Not In Kitchen. (Source: Nestlé Hot Pockets Web site 1/22)

See the Ingredient Inspector review of Nestlé Hot Pockets:

DESPITE THE PACKAGE GRAPHICS WHICH DEPICT REAL CRANBERRIES AND ORANGES, NESTLE GERBER ORGANIC CRANBERRY ORANGE PUFFS (seen below) HAVE NO REAL CRANBERRY AND NO REAL ORANGE . . . JUST THE FLAVOR OF THOSE FRUITS.

These Gerber Puffs contain Organic Cane Sugar as their third ingredient plus they have two FDA-recognized Preservatives >> Citric Acid and Mixed Tocopherols. There are also other ingredients Not In Kitchen such as Acetic Acid which is likely there to simulate the tart flavor of missing Cranberries. The Citric Acid may also be included to simulate a fruit flavor >> Oranges >> but, regardless of why Nestlé included the Citric Acid, it is, nonetheless, an FDA-recognized Preservative.

NESTLE ADDS SUGAR TO MULTIPLE GERBER PRODUCTS: If Nestlé truly believes what they say >> “It is well known that what we eat and drink as children sets the foundation for our adult lives” (Source: Nestlé Web site 7/22) >> why do they add Sugar to these Gerber products for Toddlers?

Note about Invert Sugar which is in, for example, Gerber’s Puffs product (shown below) >> this is not the same as Sugar. Invert Sugars are commercial sugars that have been altered by a chemical process to provide a sugar with different properties that are more conducive to being utilized in mass-production products which sit on shelves for long periods of time. Invert Sugars are better at helping the product retain moisture which is why we often see Invert Sugar in items like these puffs which seek to maintain a soft texture.

Nestlé Gerber Peach Puffs are made with ‘Natural Peach Vanilla Flavor’ which includes ingredients such as Citric Acid, Acetic Acid and Invert Sugar.

CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE BABY FOODS: Following are some Baby Foods which are Closest To Homemade . . . and some notes on why others are not . . .

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Demeter biodynamic® certification has zero tolerance for genetic modification including the use of any GMO organisms or ingredients. Biodynamic® products are sourced from biodynamic farms which practice regenerative farming >> items are grown and raised here in a way which helps heal the soil and the earth, so they not only taste great and have optimal nutrition but they help combat climate change >> they remove carbon from the atmosphere and put it back into the soil. Find out more about Biodynamic® farming from Demeter — the only certifier in the U.S. for Biodynamic® farms and products:

BIODYNAMIC® FARMING + FOOD

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

See the Ingredient Inspector review of Plum Organics Baby Food:

Seen below, Danone-owned Happy Family (Happy Baby, Happy Tot) is currently being sued for the presence of lead in some of their products >> lawsuit issued June 2021; read more here:

happy baby lawsuit

This has now spiraled into the consolidation of 17 individual lawsuits against Happy Baby:

HAPPY BABY CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT

See the Ingredient Inspector review of Earth’s Best Baby Food:

Here’s a handy summary chart of some Baby Food products which are Closest To Homemade:

Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list

Discover more food + beverages whose ingredients are Closest To Homemade in over 200+ categories:

And we leave you with a review of old Gerber Baby Food ads . . .

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Dana McCorvie

Website

Dana McCorvie

Website

WHAT'S IN PROGRESSO SOUPS?

WHAT'S IN PLUM ORGANICS BABY FOODS?

WHAT'S IN EARTH'S BEST BABY FOODS?

WHAT'S IN PLUM ORGANICS BABY FOODS?

WHICH GRAHAM CRACKERS ARE CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE?

Children's vegetable puree: edible or inedible?

/ All materials

GOST not Decree

The tasting of vegetable puree was conducted by specialists who have devoted many years to the development of baby food. Their opinion can be trusted. But we want to warn you: it is impossible to guarantee that the child will like the same puree as the experts (rather, you should rely on your own taste). Much more important is compliance with safety requirements. And most of the samples we tested meet the standards. Most, but not all.

Let's deal with the quality

Andrey Mosov, head of the expert department of NP Roskontrol, doctor:

“Such characteristics as sweetness, bitterness or “unexpressed taste” are subjective. Parents most often pay attention to the water content of the product. The presence of water in the composition of vegetable puree is not bad for the first feeding. You just need to understand that water is a cheaper raw material than a pumpkin.”

Irina Konokhova, leading expert of NP Roskontrol, doctor:

“Indeed, in most of the tested vegetable purees, the mass fraction of chlorides (i.e. salt) is 0. 2%, and in the Babushkino Lukoshko, Heinz and Semper purees it is 0.3%. Perhaps this is due to the higher natural content of sodium chloride in the feedstock, although it cannot be ruled out that salt was added. However, this intake of salt with complementary foods is acceptable, given the physiological need for sodium in children. The permissible mass fraction of chlorides in children's vegetable puree is 0.6%, and this figure is not exceeded in the tested samples.

How about sterility?

Let's start with the main thing: all samples meet the requirements of industrial sterility. Pesticides were not found in any of the samples, and all samples meet the standards in terms of nitrate content.

In addition, the puree was checked for 5-hydroxymethyl furfural content . It was not found in any of the samples.

All preservatives and sweeteners are prohibited in baby food. We checked the puree for the presence of sorbate, benzoate, sulfur dioxide (these are preservatives) and determined the mass concentration of sweeteners. Parents can be calm: no preservatives or sweeteners were found in the samples.

One in the jar, another on the label

Andrey Mosov, head of the expert department of NP Roskontrol, doctor:

in pumpkin puree should be 3.6% (in boiled pumpkin - 4.6%).

Summing up and drawing conclusions

Roskontrol experts noted that the manufacturer of puree Semper misleads the consumer about the presence of sugar in the composition. A mark "Bebivita" does not correspond to the actual product name - it is indicated in small print on the back of the label ("Complementary food product - mashed pumpkin and potatoes").

Puree “Spelyonok” has the inscription “fortified with vitamin C” illegally placed: the actual mass fraction of ascorbic acid in this sample is four times less than indicated in the label. Plus, on all samples, except for Bebivita puree, information about the nutritional value in terms of carbohydrate content is distorted.

Test details

















August 27, 2014

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Flavor enhancers, flavourings, colorants, preservatives

Flavor enhancers

On the territory of the Russian Federation, 22 flavor enhancers are allowed to be used in food production. Of these, only one is used in baby food - sodium citrate (E331).

It is most often found in children's yoghurts and curds with fruit. Sodium citrate enhances the sour taste of the product and extends its shelf life. The additive is approved for use in baby food throughout Europe and the Russian Federation.

View products without harmful additives

Flavors

Flavors are natural and identical to natural (obtained by chemical means).

Natural flavors are dill, pepper, bay leaf, etc. Vanillin is often controversial, but chemically speaking, its molecule is no different from vanilla. For homemade cereals and pastries, you can use both vanillin and vanilla pods, just keep in mind that there is only 2% of vanillin in a pod, and besides it, there are about 200 more flavors. Children are sometimes allergic to bean vanilla.

Dyes

The names are long and the label space is often small. Therefore, most dyes are denoted by indexes E.

Let's list those that are allowed in baby food: E101 - yellow This is vitamin B2 or riboflavin E140 - olive Chlorophyll, extracted from the green leaves of plants E120 - purple to orange Carmine E150a and E150b - caramel color Sugar color, aka burnt sugar. In addition to coloring, it adds a sweet taste and smell of caramel E160a - orange Known as beta-carotene. It is found in large quantities in ordinary carrots

Preservatives

Needed to increase the shelf life of the product.

There are a lot of preservatives, we list those allowed in baby food:

E270 - lactic acid Found in yogurts, kefirs, cheeses
E300 - ascorbic acid aka Vitamin C
E330 - citric acid Lemon juice is sometimes added instead of citric acid
E333 - calcium citrate Considered to be a completely safe supplement throughout the world.

Learn more

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