Concerns around additives, preservatives, and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are nothing new.
If you’re a child of the early to mid-nineties, you’ll likely remember the health scares around Sunny Delight, ‘E numbers’, and justified questions over whether Fruit Winders were a fully qualified substitute for real fruit. Dear reader: they aren’t.
While manufacturers and fast food firms have, in the intervening years, made some positive changes to ingredients lists and practices to curb some of these concerns, there’s no denying that we’re in the midst of a UPF explosion.
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It’s estimated that 57% of calories consumed by UK adults come from UPFs, and the story is similar, if not worse, across the pond.
The Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again movement, spearheaded by US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has released a report detailing the rise of UPF consumption in the US and the staggering rate at which they’re being consumed.
Focusing primarily on children, the report says that 70% of calories consumed by kids in the States are coming from UPFs, and details concerns and study data over what the calorie content, preservatives, flavourings, and nutritional deficits of these foods are doing to public health.
The concern stems from birth, it seems, with mention paid to concerns over US baby formula.
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It says: “One notable example of concern around food additives is infant formula. In recent years, some American parents have turned to European formula brands, driven by supply concerns and questions regarding the number and types of additives found in U.S. formulas.
“Additives in processed foods are consumed in complex combinations, where cumulative and synergistic effects may amplify harm beyond individual components.135 Yet, testing often ignores these interactions, particularly in children. With dozens of additives consumed daily, these overlooked risks could be significantly impacting children’s health.”
A report from the New York Times, originally published in 2021 and updated in 2022, details how a US baby formula shortage contributed to the rise in Americans importing European brands. It seems that this trend, compounded by health fears, has continued since the shortage ended.
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However, there’s no clear evidence that US-branded formula is any worse for babies than European brands.
What to Expect, a medically-reviewed publication focusing on pregnancy and early years health, says:
“But the fact is, there's no evidence that European formulas are healthier for babies. And the lack of regulation around some imported formulas means that it's harder for parents to know exactly what they're buying. That can ultimately make it tougher to ensure that a product is both nutritious and safe for your baby.”
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It also quotes Dr Micah Resnick, a board-certified paediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, as saying: "If you can find your regular formula or a U.S.-based alternative from your paediatrician or a formula exchange, I'd stick with that.”
Rachael Davis