Sugar, Food Starch Modified, Flavoring Natural, Flavor(s) Artificial, Salt, Disodium Phosphate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Monoglyceride, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Color(s) Artificial, BHA

I know what sugar is and that is the major ingredient making up the majority of the package.  It is followed by Food Starch Modified (typically spelled “corn starch”).  Let’s jump past the natural and artificial flavorings to something we can identify.  Salt, a little salt is good for you and adds to the taste, we are okay so far.  Disodium Phosphate is used to prevent caking and is used in a number of powdered food ingredients with no known harmful side effects.  So far, we are doing well.

Typically more than 70% of the ingredients is sugar finely ground (powdered sugar) and a little less than 20 percent is “Food Starch Modified” (often pregelatinized starches).  The flavoring and salt make up the majority of the remaining percentage. 

Pregelatinized starches are typically corn starch that has been cooked with water for 10 minutes (while being constantly stirred) at 131F.  Sound familiar so far.  Then they dry it in an air drying oven at 150F until crisp, finally grinding and pressing it through a fine screen sieve to form a powder.  This cooking process is what elminates much of the process for you the home cook.  And so far you have paid an outragous price per pound of sugar.  If 70% of a 2.9oz package of Jell-o is sugar and you are paying 90 cents for it, you are paying about 30 cents per ounce of sugar.  A 4lb bag of sugar would cost about $20.  You do a little better on the corn starch and you do get a pretty box to throw away.  Besides you also get those extra chemicals.

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, wow it is barely pronounceable and it is not something we should be eating in large quantities.  It is a thickening agent an emulsifier.  Isn’t that what corn starch does?  Tetrasodium Pyrophossphate is listed as slightly toxic, which means you are only being slightly poisoned so that should be okay, right?  It should be safe since it is in marshmallows, chicken nuggets, toothpaste, soy based products, meat alternatives fake crab and even canned tuna.  Okay, so you are ingesting more toxins than you thought still you thought and in small quantities it a little toxin never hurt anyone!  Just how much are you taking in may be the question.  And, if its toxicity is relative to body weight than the smaller the child the less likely they should be eating it.

Yellow 5 one of the food coloring is Tarzitine.  It was banned in Norway, Germany and Australia before the EC (European Community) revoked the ban.  That should make it okay since it only makes children hyper-active. 

Yellow 6 comes from coal tar and Azo (a dye), it can cause allergic reactions.

Monoglyceride is an emulsifier helping bond ingredients with no known dangers.

From Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. we read: “The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity; however the same reactions may combat oxidative stress. There is evidence that certain persons may have difficulty metabolizing BHA and BHT, resulting in health and behavior changes… “

Now we get to Flavoring Natural and Artifical, both mysterious catagories where many things can hide (all of which are “natural” or artificial)  Here is what one WEB site quotes from the FDA.

“The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

The new labeling law effective in 2006, The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), requires manufacturers to declare if one or more of the 8 major food allergens are contained in a natural flavoring. The top 8 major food allergens are defined as: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans.

If you are managing food allergies other than the top 8 major food allergens, however, the new law will not be of assistance to you in identifying the sources in any natural flavoring stated on a label.

The FDA does not require companies to disclose ingredients of color or flavor additives so long as all the chemicals in them are considered by the agency to be GRAS (”generally recognized as safe”) enabling companies to maintain secrecy of formulas. It also hides the fact that flavors often contain more ingredients than the foods to which they give taste.

A typical artificial strawberry flavor contains over 30 chemicals. According to manufacturer safety data sheets those chemicals cause eye irritation, corneal damage, eye burns, skin irritation, severe / permanent damage to digestive tract, gastrointestinal irritation, gastrointestinal tract burns, CNS depression, neurological effects, liver abnormalities, cardiac abnormalities, or other harm.

Natural flavor, according to the FDA, must be derived entirely from natural sources (herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, beef, chicken, yeast, bark, roots, etc). Consumers prefer to see natural flavors on a label out of a belief they are more healthful.

Natural flavor is not necessarily more healthful or purer than an artificial flavor. Almond flavor when derived from natural sources may contain traces of hydrogen cyanide, a deadly poison. When derived by mixing oil of clove & amyl acetate, it does not. Natural flavors and artificial flavors are often manufactured at same chemical plants.

Flavor manufacturing may also involve biotechnology, using enzyme reactions, fermentation, & fungal and tissue cultures. Flavors created by these methods are considered natural flavors by the FDA.

In addition to flavor chemicals also think about genetic engineering of food, DNA or gene alteration, and medicines and hormones given to cows, cattle, hogs, and chickens. What affect does it have upon us? Some are suspected causes of cancer or other problems. 

When a natural flavor or artificial flavor is added to a food or drink the resultant processed food is no longer natural & is potentially harmful.”

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20030608101921/www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/opa-bckg.html

Some puddings include Carrageenan, which often incorporates synthetic MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) an ingredient you do not want in your food.  MSG is a free glutamate.  Free glutamates are not the same as bond glutamates found in nature and are not good for you.

Maybe you should consider homemade gelatins and puddings.  They are quick, simple, tasty and avoid the chemicals you and your family should be avoiding.

Homemade Vanilla pudding

2 cups of milk (you would need this for instant pudding as well)

1/2 cup of sugar (a major ingredient of any pudding)

3 tbs of cornstarch (modified food starch)

1/4 tsp of salt (sound familiar)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (theirs would be artificial, but we will use the good stuff)

1 tablespoon of butter

Dangerous chemicals optional

In a saucepan using medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges. While bringing milk to temperature, in a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt, then add to the hot milk, gradually, stirring to help it dissolve. Continue stirring over heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.  Avoiding boiling the ingredients.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter (extended heat can reduce the flavor of the vanilla and butter). Pour into serving dishes. Chill before serving or if you can’t wait serve it hot.   Total time less than 10 minutes.  Okay, it is not instantaneous, but neither is the so called instant stuff.  But the homemade version is healthy!

Homemade strawberry gelatin

2 cups of water (you would  need it for instant Jell-o)

1 cup of sugar (a major ingredient of any Jell-0)

1 1/2 tablespoon of gelatin or agar (thickener)

1 1/4 cups of fruit juice or the strained juice from real strawberries

Dangerous chemicals extend shelf life! You don’t have a shelf life to consider

I have no problem with chunks of real strawberry in a gelatin desert, but there can be occasions where you just want the juice,  Strawberries are mostly liquid so there is plenty of flavor.  There is enough gelatin to thicken the liquid.  Stir the gelatin into two tbs of the water.  Use the remaining water to dissolve the sugar in a pan over medium heat.  Add the gelatin and juice or pulverized fruit and stir to combine.  Cool to room temperature and chill in refrigerator. 

Homemade strawberry pie filling

4 cups of strawberries

3/4 cup of sugar

2 tbs cornstarch

3/4 cup water

1 tsp salt

Dangerous chemicals improve performance?  It does not get better than this! 

In a pan with 3/4 cup of water, crush the strawberries while bringing to a boil.  Pour through a strainer into a measuring cup to remove crushed strawberry creating a smooth clear liquid.  Add water to bring the liquid to a full cup.  Add the dry ingredients to the same pan and incorporate the liquid ingredients while stirring.  Bring to a boil.  Keeping stirring, until the ingredients are smooth and thick.  Allow to cool slightly and than pour into a pre-baked piecrust with halved strawberries.

Fresh lemons, limes, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, apples or rhubarb are the start to tasty treats in puddings, pieces, jams and jellies without the need for added chemicals.  Frozen fruit offers a off-season alternative.  Buying canned fruit can include unwanted chemicals, read the label.  Chocolate an ingredient we all seem to love, can often have unwanted chemicals like MSG/Carrageenan.  Buy good chocolate, not the brands that are often so prevalent in the grocery store.  Even some of the better brands of chocolate incorporate Carrageenan (with MSG) in their powdered or candy melting chocolates to enhance its performance.  You best defense is knowledge, read, learn and know what is best for you and your family

With minimal time and effort, you can create delicious deserts that are natural and chemical free, a better choice for any family wanting to stay healthy and lead a productive normal life.  Next time you reach for the package of instant Jell-o we hope it is to throw it away, it does not belong in your pantry.  Besides we don’t want the sugar companies knowing we are willing to pay $20 for 4lbs of sugar, do we?