Current campaigns

The Food Intolerance Network runs campaigns of public action to improve the lives of people with food intolerance.

Here are some of our wins over the last 20 years

The bread preservative calcium propionate 282 also called cultured dextrose is now rarely used in Australian and New Zealand white sliced breads (BUT it is used in most wraps, flat breads, bread rolls, crumpets, muffins and many specialty breads including gluten free and some organic. Sorbate preservatives 200, 202 are now often used in some breads - not acceptable to us! - and as well, vinegar used as a preservative can be an issue for some)
Synthetic antioxidants (like BHA 320) are no longer in retail oils and spreads in Australia (BUT it is used in most catering oils, in retail oils in NZ, and in very light spreads)

Artificial colours are steadily vanishing from supermarkets as food manufacturers are responding to consumer pressure (BUT they are still widely used in catering versions of the same foods)

MSG (monosodium glutamate 621) is rarely found as an additive now (BUT it is being increasingly added in other sneaky forms like hydolysed vegetable protein and yeast extract, and its effects are being boosted by use of ribonucleotides 627, 631, 635)

Illegal sulphite preservative use in mince has been markedly reduced (BUT eternal vigilance is needed)
Annatto natural yellow colour (colour 160b, affects some consumers worse than artificial colours) has been removed from Sanitarium So Good Vanilla Bliss frozen soy ice cream and Vaalia vanilla yoghurt. Thanks to Lyndel and all who emailed about this issue.
Sorbate preservatives 200 or 202 in cream cheese. It is now possible in Australia to buy many preservative free versions of cream cheese. We hear that in Canada this is not the case - thanks to Janet

You can help by writing letters and submissions. Together we have had a big impact on the safety of our food supply.

Current campaign

If you want things to change, contact the food manufacturer!

My adult daughter is affected by annatto 160b. It makes her hyperactive and teary. Blackmores had it in their B complex, and I rang their naturopath and pointed out that annatto affects hyperactive people and requested that they replace it. They did. It is worth contacting manufacturers if there is a product you want to use - Jenny.

Thanks to Kylie who spotted 160b annatto in Woolworths bakery "Granola Cookie 5pk" and complained to them and got a refund. But their answer eventually, when she persisted, was that the Natural Food Colours Association had assured them it was safe. Well, they would think that, wouldn’t they (since they are selling it)!

Here are some of the past campaigns that we have initiated or participated in, with your help:

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