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Failsafe 117 (September - December 2026)
How to improve NAPLAN - diet! Food intolerances and risk of orthorexia: Guest Blog by SharonTrueman APD Migraines – response to the Guardian Generally Recognised as Secret (GRAS) How to improve NAPLAN - diet! Food intolerances and risk of orthorexia: Guest Blog by Sharon Trueman APD Migraines – response to the Guardian Generally Recognised as Secret (GRAS) Rice noodles Soy yoghurt Swap it: easy ideas for healthier lunchboxes At The Failsafe Table Success stories: [1705] – [1707] [1707] One-liners (August 2026) [1706] 635: “my forehead and cheeks have reddened and reddened” (July 2026) [1705] 160b: Severe reaction to annatto extract (May 2026) Has there been any research on the specific amines found in specific foods? I seem to have big reactions to some foods and no reaction to others. Is there support for disabilities caused by environmental factors like smells and perfumes? Frequently Asked Questions Australia's broken food labelling system Sue Dengate's famous presentation “Fed Up with Children’s Behaviour” NOW in high definition and easy-watch chapters FREE Clinical trials of the elimination diet Tinned pears in syrup have disappeared from most supermarkets Handy magnifying failsafe card UPDATED with QR code for hidden additives Wein personal and room air purifiers Updated complete list of food additives, with those to avoid highlighted Food Intolerance Resources from RPAH; SPECIAL OFFER on Friendly Food Factsheets: See free plant-based Failsafe booklet for low to moderate salicylate whole-food plant-based (WFPB) eating. plus over 100 science-based information sheets on symptoms and additives. See also video resources. See also story collections You can view this newsletter in many languages other than English using the 'Translate page' function Hello everyone Thanks to all who contributed to the latest Failsafe Newsletter 117 (September - December 2026) Recent blogs Popular new reader stories [1705] “last night I had the worst case of restless legs and insomnia ever … ‘natural’ annatto 160b” [1706] “Ribonucleotide flavour enhancer 635 … in Bisto gravies … I am frankly appalled by what it has done to my face … manufacturers seem to want to hide they’ve used it despite the damaging side-effects it can have.” In brief And apparently the food industry knows a lot more about ribonucleotide dermatitis (and gout) than consumers and doctors, see 635 ribonucleotides warnings from distributors, and more ... Research Speaking of ultra-processed foods, see latest studies linking certain additives to cancer, certain sugar substitutes to faster declines in memory or liver disease, and more … Now read on - Sue Dengate If this is what you want as a parent: then it may be as simple as taking preservatives, colours and flavours out of your children's food. Watch this 6 minute video of the brilliant effects on a whole school of just one simple intervention: But what we are currently seeing is a tragedy 2026 NAPLAN results 'national tragedy' as one-third of students fail to meet literacy and numeracy expectations – from ABC news. What the experts say But no one mentioned diet… What our members say SEE MORE including research and BLOG Diet and academic performance: are researchers reinventing the wheel? (2017) Food intolerances and risk of orthorexia: Guest Blog by Sharon Trueman APD Diagnostic elimination diets identify food intolerances linked to symptoms like migraines and digestive issues. Managed by dietitians, these short-term protocols temporarily remove and reintroduce trigger foods. However, unsupervised or ungrounded restriction increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies, disrupted gut microbiomes, and orthorexia—an unhealthy fixation on food purity. Vulnerable individuals, influenced by social media or unvalidated tests, often expand necessary restrictions into rigid food rules driven by fear rather than medical need. It is important to distinguish between medically necessary dietary restrictions and those driven by fear or misinformation. While legitimate dietary management aims to prevent physical symptoms, orthorexia degrades psychological well-being. Professional guidance from GPs, dietitians, or psychologists ensures balanced, evidence-based nutrition. Migraines – response to the Guardian A recent news report claimed that foods are wrongly blamed for migraines, and that a coming “migraine brain activation” causes the food cravings that are blamed. This theory fails to account for the great success that people find in avoiding those very foods that are craved so as to avoid migraines. According to Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) Allergy Unit the percentage of people with headaches or migraines who are likely to be affected by the following food chemicals is approximately: 70% by MSG (E621), preservatives, natural salicylates READ MORE with references Generally Recognised as Secret (GRAS) The USA system has allowed many additives to be used without full safety assessment under what is called the “GRAS loophole”, meaning that the additives were not subject to a full scientific assessment, so it is pleasing that a review of GRAS (actually, Generally Recognised as Safe) is underway. As former FDA head David Kessler warned, human "biology was never intended to handle" ultraprocessed foods, and these thousands of unstudied chemicals which have slipped into their food supply potentially endanger public health. Australia and NZ food regulator FSANZ does not use the GRAS system but requires explicit pre-market approval and positive listing for all new food additives and novel foods. However real problems remain in all food additive evaluation, principally that they are not tested in the combinations actually used in foods, they are not tested for behavioural and learning effects for children, and they are now often disappearing as once-regulated additives and re-appearing as unregulated ingredients. These latter “hidden additives” escape regulation – we do not know how much of them is being used as nobody is looking. Rice noodles The other night I stumbled on a really easy rice noodle recipe that uses only 3 ingredients and take around 10 minutes to make and cook - it takes longer to boil the water than it does to make and cook them! – thanks to Vanessa (and Po on Masterchef) 1 cup rice flour Mix the rice flour and tapioca starch in a bowl. Gradually add boiling water, stirring with chopsticks, until it forms a dough. Knead it for 5–8 minutes until it is smooth, soft, and no longer sticky. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tbsp of oil (to stop it all frothing over). Have a bowl of ice water nearby. Put the dough into a potato ricer or noodle press and press it directly into the boiling water to create long, round noodles. When the noodles float to the surface (usually 1-2 minutes), cook for another 30 seconds, then immediately transfer them into the ice bath to stop cooking and keep them chewy. Drain and use immediately in soups or stir-fries. Tips for Success Soy yoghurt If you are missing yoghurt because you are dairy-free, try this one BUT IT MAY BE MODERATE TO HIGH IN AMINES! 300g silken tofu Blend all thoroughly and leave in warm place or yoghurt maker for 12-18hrs. May contain moderate to high amines depending on the tofu, time and probiotic. A quicker version uses 1-2 tspn maple syrup and ½ tsp citric acid, no fermentation. Swap it: easy ideas for healthier lunchboxes You can always find more recipe ideas at https://www.fedup.com.au/recipes or Failsafe Cookbook At The Failsafe Table continues as a fantastic resource but is no longer being updated – thanks again Rona at Domestic Diva Unleashed and her many other contacts! You can find more great recipes at Domestic Diva Unleashed, Cooking for Oscar, Failsafe Foodie, Real Meals and Failsafe Decorated Cakes. There's a recipe index of ANY Failsafe recipes on ANY blog. So far there are more than 1,000 recipes with great photos and ideas all categorised to make it easy to search http://pinterest.com/failsafetable/ Failsafe Thermomix group with recipes and a place to ask questions etc https://www.facebook.com/groups/139914166142279/ I bought a Thermomix a couple of months ago, and absolutely love it. These machines are totally awesome, so pure and clean, and I truly believe that if we’d had a Thermomix years ago when our son was at his worst, it would have saved us a lot of heartache, as well as time and money - Susan. And the very useful weekly meal plan website https://mealsplans.wordpress.com/ People tell us that stories are so useful and positive! [1707] One-liners (August 2026) Oh, wow, I feel honoured and special that you and Sue remember me Howard. That's a shame people don't go out for talks. I sure would be out like a shot if I had the opportunity to hear the good news again 😊. Thanks for all you both do to make the world a better place - Joy After I did the elimination diet and became aware and better adjusted, I watched my younger AuDHD sister eat a packet of MM'S then run off in confusion with "the food fog". I also worked at a AOD detox center (Alcohol and Other Drugs) not long after I started the elimination diet where the staff were mostly peer support. Half the clients and staff had NSAIDs intolerance [as do many food intolerant people]. Alcoholics Anonymous describe alcoholism as an allergy that causes the desire for more and more alcohol which like salicylate reactions - Liz Thank you soooo much for saving me from going round the bend, AGAIN!!! I have had food sensitivities for such a long time, but they still 'get me' every now and again! First it was the temper tantrums (luckily I live on my own!), then it's bursting into tears!! I have stopped all dairy and eggs about 1 week ago, I am ok for quite a while with them and then wham, watch out!! I am 82! - Sarah Ribonucleotide flavour enhancer 635 is found in Bisto gravies – in all the standard and ‘best’ ranges, used together with MSG. Also now found in Cheetos, the cheese flavoured snack I used to have as a kid. [1705] 160b: Severe reaction to annatto extract (May 2026) I bought a block of cheese from Trader Joe's called Port Salut and it was covered with Annatto extract. Over the course of a few days I ate the entire block that was 0.7 lbs (about 300g). Over the 4 or so days that I ate it, my restlessness increased and by last night I had the worst case of restless legs and insomnia at a level I never experienced before. I do have a sensitive nervous system but NOT to this extent. I chose this cheese because I thought the ingredients looked natural including annatto extract. Lesson learned. Not everything "natural" is necessarily better. I can tolerate food coloring but not annatto! I was directed to your website by AI and AI helped me piece things together - Olive, USA. Don’t forget, you can search for stories/symptoms or scroll through all current stories. Q: Has there been any research on the specific amines found in specific foods? I seem to have big reactions to some foods and no reaction to others. There's a lot of coverage of chocolate (phenylethylalamine) but not others. It would be great to know which food contain which amines, in terms of managing intolerance - Lisa A: Good question Lisa. Proteins are made of long strings of 20 amino acids, 9 of which are essential. This string is broken by fermentation, both in food preparation and in the gut, generating peptides that can range in length from 2 amino acids upwards. There are thousands of possible peptides and some affect people. As our guts differ in microbes, so does the range of peptides, which we call "biogenic amines". So the short answer is, unfortunately, you have to eliminate and trial. I speak as someone who just ate 2 slices of pineapple. First one ok, the next was an agonizing 12 hour headache. My fault! Food intolerance dietitian Joan Breakey did some excellent work that might help too: https://foodintolerancepro.com/amine-diet-investigation/ Q: Is there support for disabilities caused by environmental factors like smells and perfumes? A: There is an excellent organisation run by Dr Sharyn Martin which collects reports and lobbies government called ANRES (Australian National Register of Environmental Sensitivities). Their latest report Environmental Sensitivities as a Public Health and Disability Issue: ANRES Data Analysis 2015–2025 - Evidence, Multimorbidity, Lived Impacts, and the Case for Disability Recognition can be downloaded https://mcusercontent.com/43d2f67272fd448aafbf9ccd0/files/9fc126ec-77b4-feb2-87d4-82eefbfce721/ANRES_2026_Report_PDF.docx.pdf Frequently Asked Questions are the result of a lot of work by many people. Over 392,000 people have viewed them! You can search all or scroll through them all classified as follows: Here are graphics for the 9 most common questions Australia's broken food labelling system Food manufacturers want us consumers to remain confused and spend vast amounts of energy delaying real changes to labelling. 15 years ago an independent review of food labelling laws, commissioned by Australian and New Zealand food ministers, recommended an overhaul of the system. Just three of 40 public health recommendations from the review had been fully implemented. Concerns about regulatory burden and costs to industry repeatedly take precedence over public health objectives and consumer interests. Reform is urgently needed, as the Food Intolerance Network has been saying for 35 years. You can see the ideas submitted for a National Food Council capable of real action, and our many other contributions here https://www.fedup.com.au/fin-campaigns/what-you-can-do-to-help-lobbying https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-29/processed-food-marketing-fooling-shoppers-over-health-claims/106961954 and https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-27/food-fraud-investigation-reveals-truth-behind-labels/106960116 635 ribonucleotides warning from distributors It is wrong that some ribonucleotide distributors warn food manufacturer customers that “for individuals suffering from gout or kidney stones, high levels of uric acid can exacerbate symptoms or trigger painful flares” (see ref) but this warning is not available to consumers. Even more wrong is that some even acknowledge what we call Ribo-rash but this nasty side-effect has never been acknowledged by food regulators or manufacturers: Some consumers have reported "Ribonucleotide Dermatitis," a skin condition characterized by itching or rashes after consuming high amounts of E635. While this is relatively rare, it is a documented sensitivity. Unlike a true allergy, which involves the immune system, this is often considered an intolerance or a sensitivity that manifests when the additive is consumed in large quantities or by particularly susceptible individuals. Henan Kingway Technology Co Ltd: What Is Disodium 5′-ribonucleotides (E635) In Food? Uses, Safety, Side Effects. https://www.hnkingway.com/What-Is-Disodium-5-ribonucleotides-E635-In-Food-Uses-Safety-Side-Effects-id47997065.html See ribo-rash factsheet See BLOG on gout 2025 consumer research by the food regulator FSANZ Farmers and producers are the most trusted part of the food system, with 83% of consumers trusting them. This trust drops to 70% about the food sold in Australia and New Zealand. 19% distrust government and food authorities, steady since 2023. It was interesting that about 17% reported that a food allergy or intolerance influenced their food choices, behind weight management and cost of living pressures. Food additives continued to be the most looked for piece of information in the ingredients list (selected by 41%), followed by the key ingredients (37%), and artificial sweeteners (34%). https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/social-science/consumer-insights-tracker Shooting for the stars The Food Intolerance Network has added our name to a George Institute initiative to support mandatory implementation of the Health Star Rating system. Voluntary industry uptake has only reached 39% of products in 10 years. We join with many illustrious organisations in trying to get this system to really help public health. READ MORE Red meat allergy risk increases More people than thought may be at risk for red meat allergy caused by ticks according to a recent report. BLOG Red meat and gelatine allergy link to tick bites and BLOG Death from meat allergy caused by tick bites Marketing speak in environmental food claims Survey of 27,000 Australian supermarket items found some products boasting environmental benefits like “natural” and “sustainable” had significantly higher emissions than unlabelled counterparts and that foods in supermarkets boasting environmental terms such as “natural” or “sustainable” are mostly just using marketing speak, rather than verified claims. The George Institute for Global Health assessed 27,000 packaged foods sold in Sydney supermarkets and found that nearly 4 in 10 products carried some sort of sustainability claim. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/11/supermarket-foods-claiming-to-be-natural-or-sustainable-mostly-just-using-marketing-terms-researchers-find Energy drink ban for England's kids Starting April 2027, England will prohibit selling energy drinks containing >150 mg/L of caffeine to children under 16, after voluntary restrictions failed. High caffeine levels place children at elevated risk for cardiovascular issues, anxiety, hyperactivity, and sleep disruption, while high sugar content contributes to rising childhood obesity. The EU did it years ago...Australia? USA? not yet putting kids' health above commercial profits. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(26)00195-6/ Sue Dengate's famous presentation “Fed Up with Children’s Behaviour” view for free (1hr 12mins or in short chapters - see below) NOW IN 4K HIGH DEFINITION - thanks Marcus Arruzza. Irene says “ladies show your men the video as they will rarely read the book. Watching an hour of a DVD is more comprehensible to the male brain. That is how I got my husband to finally understand our son’s behaviour and to support what I am doing with him. He now has the book in his van and every spare moment he has, he reads it" - from story [717] NOW in HIGH DEFINITION in 12 separate easy-to-watch CHAPTERS: 1. Food has changed & so have our kids (8:31) https://youtu.be/nU9dMMhOtig 2. Food allergy OR food intolerance? (4:30) https://youtu.be/PrFwGNDOJvQ 3. How to do the elimination diet (6:42) https://youtu.be/PEDnW6Bdd4E 4. Symptoms: headaches and migraines (3:02) https://youtu.be/cE-bNPGy6gs 5. Eczema and itchy skin rashes (5:50) https://youtu.be/cV8QJ5S917s 6. Irritable bowel symptoms (3:11) https://youtu.be/YPcU4CurIAo 7. Asthma (4:09) https://youtu.be/LS2fTaAq8-c 8. Behaviour: the quiet ones – foggy brain, learning difficulties, anxiety, depression (5:05) https://youtu.be/GqCXkR5QAaQ 9. Behaviour: the restless ones - ADHD, irritability, restlessness, restless legs, inattention, sleep disturbance, ODD, violence (8:28) https://youtu.be/0yWcC2DsBPk 10. Behaviour: the autistic ones (5:46) https://youtu.be/Qel505065wg 11. How to read food labels (10:07) https://youtu.be/dBsz8rClYck 12. Natural food chemicals and what CAN we eat (7:16) https://youtu.be/icmGvDKKc68 Subtitled version in 6 languages (English HIGH DEFINITION, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish) can also be viewed for free. (The Bonus material of interviews with parents can only be seen in purchased version) Clinical trials of the elimination diet It is pleasing that food intolerance is now being examined more systematically. In this trial, salicylate challenge most commonly induced diarrhoea (16%), bloating (16%), and itch (14%), while amine challenge induced abdominal pain (10%) and nausea (8%). Cooke Z, Lynam K, Barrett J, Biesiekierski JR, Trakman G, Tuck CJ. Clinical Outcomes and Food Triggers Following Low Food Chemical Diet Implementation: A Retrospective Audit of Dietetic Practice. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2025 Oct;38(5):e70134. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41017170/ Even some natural food colours may be harmful Recent research pointed to Type 2 diabetes and cancers being linked to some natural colours. Since these are all found in food we eat daily, the lesson might be to eat whole foods rather than extracts taken from the plants. These were the main colours: • Curcumin (E100): extracted from turmeric. Plain caramel (E150a) was associated with overall cancer and beta-carotene (E160a) with overall and breast cancer, although the absolute risk at age 60 was not great (13.3% for higher consumers vs 12.1% for lower/non-consumers). Shah S, Hasenböhler A, Javaux G, et al. Food Coloring Additives and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in the NutriNet-Santé Prospective Cohort. Diabetes Care. 2026 Jun 1;49(6):1067-1077. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42157365/ Multiple positive associations between intake of preservatives widely used in industrial foods and higher cancer incidence (overall, breast, and prostate) were observed in this large prospective cohort. We are pleased to have avoided these preservatives for over 40 years and to be cancer-free! Hasenböhler A, Javaux G, Payen de la Garanderie M, et al. Intake of food additive preservatives and incidence of cancer: results from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort. BMJ. 2026 Jan 7;392:e084917. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41500678/ Popular sugar substitutes linked to faster brain aging Several popular sugar substitutes (951 aspartame, 954 saccharin, 950 acesulfame K, 968 erythritol, 967 xylitol, 420 sorbitol and tagatose) may not be as harmless as they seem. Adults who consumed the most artificial sweeteners showed substantially faster declines in memory and thinking, especially if they were under 60 or had diabetes. The highest intake was linked to cognitive aging roughly 1.6 years faster than the lowest intake. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260717033213.htm The Food Intolerance Network currently shows several of these as CAUTION https://www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/factsheets-by-additive/sugar-free-sweeteners 420 Sorbitol, popular sugar-free sweetener, now linked to liver disease Sorbitol, often marketed as low-calorie or diabetic friendly, may mimic some of fructose’s harmful effects in the body linked to fatty liver disease, especially when gut bacteria fail to break it down properly. https://scitechdaily.com/popular-sugar-free-sweetener-linked-to-liver-disease-study-warns/ 415 Xanthan gum linked to colon inflammation Chronic xanthan gum consumption by rats altered gut microbiota and led to intestinal barrier integrity loss in an experimental model. The findings help explain why xanthan gum was previously linked to cases of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants in the United States. In 2012, 22 newborns developed intestinal inflammation, which led to the death of intestinal tissue, after consuming formula thickened with the additive. At least three infants died. Since then, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned its use in premature infants and recommends avoiding its use in infants altogether. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0347232 and https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260713/Study-links-chronic-xanthan-gum-consumption-to-colon-inflammation.aspx Tinned pears in syrup have disappeared from most supermarkets - complain!! The complete list of food additives, with those to avoid highlighted, is kept up-to-date. We stocked the Wein personal and room air purifiers to help Network members with fragrance sensitivity and to help them to avoid catching respiratory infections when flying or shopping and have had a lot of positive feedback. But when present stocks are exhausted we will stop selling them because we appear to have satisfied demand. You can see more details about the Weins https://store16061019.ecwid.com/Wein-ionizer-air-purifiers-personal-and-room-models-p128364942 “Your little portable purifiers were a life saver when I had to go in for surgery following a bicycle accident. The ward was 'fragranced' of course, they did try to accommodate by letting me pull curtains right round! But these wee purifiers made all the difference really helped - had them running nearly all the time!” – Annie from Scotland who supports https://www.detoxmeandmyhome.com/ Food Intolerance Resources from RPAH now at https://slhd.health.nsw.gov.au/rpa/services/clinical-immunology-and-allergy/supporting-our-patients/books NOTE the failsafe shopping lists on www.fedup.com.au is being regularly updated to reflect changes. If using the shopping lists, check for a current date at the bottom of the list. The failsafe sausages list has been updated again. Please email directly with changes, preferably in the format in the list, . People continue to rave about the real flavour of these sausages! The completely revised and updated Friendly Food from RPAH is now available at $38.00 including post and GST from the Food Intolerance Network store If you want some inspiration, try the COURAGE AWARD story collection - 40 pages of brilliance! Free plant-based Failsafe booklet (or PDF) offers hints for low to moderate salicylate whole food plant-based (WFPB) eating. NEW factsheet on Iodine deficiency, underactive thyroid, goitrogenic foods and food intolerance Most recent story collection: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (14 pages). Other recent collection doctors and food intolerance and violence and aggression – if anyone wants to help update a story collection (all you need is time and some word processing skills) please email Factsheets provide science-based access to information on added and natural chemicals, on symptoms and support. See full list of over 100 factsheets and remember that you can use the search function to search all factsheets (Information>Factsheets>Search all factsheets) Don't forget that there is great collection of short videos to help answer your questions and understand food intolerance. Dietitian NEW FAID (Food Allergy and Intolerance Dietitians) at https://www.faid.com.au/ are a highly experienced Sydney network of qualified APDs focusing on adverse food reactions, available for online consultations Australia wide and internationally. See https://www.faid.com.au/our-team Diet not working as well as you'd hoped? One tiny mistake can make a huge difference. For fine-tuning, see the Checklist of common mistakes. Readers tell us this list is very useful. You can also ask for our Salicylate, Amine and Glutamate mistakes sheets . Online support DVD "Fed Up with Children’s Behaviour” Brochures Newsletters Success story collections Reintroduction guidelines "Thank you so much for the new RPAH reintroduction recommendations. I now understand why when I tried to ascertain my tolerance levels and did as my dietician recommended (try 1/2 a cup of salicylates) that my symptoms returned very quickly. ½ a cup is 100 times ¼ of a teaspoon, and given my scent problems I’m probably highly sensitive. Now I can try again" - failsafer, NZ **WARNING** www.food-intolerance-network.com is a spam website funded by the shadowy “Society for Public Health” about which no information is available. We think it is a food industry spam site and complaints about stealing our name have been unanswered. Use www.realfoodintolerancenetwork.com to find us directly. A video-graphic introduction to food intolerance from one of our Network members (2 mins): Food intolerances, what are they? Thanks to Steph Aromataris www.stepharomataris.com The FAILSAFE Newsletter is available free by email. You can subscribe or unsubscribe here https://www.fedup.com.au/join-failsafe-newsletter-subscriber-list-3 Sue Dengate’s books and DVD, failsafe magnifying card sulphite test strips and ionizing air purifiers are available through the shop on www.fedup.com.au Special offer for USA and Canada: Fed Up With Children' Behaviour (NTSC format) - DVD at $US14.50 - go to http://www.bookch.com and search for "Sue Dengate" Fed Up and the Failsafe Cookbook are now available as an ebook: www.amazon.com for Kindle, www.dymocks.com.au in ePub version suitable for Tablet PCs, PCs, Macs, Laptops, www.ebooks.com in ePub for digital and iPhone/iPad. Sue Dengate’s Fed Up with Food Intolerance - a personal story (Australia USA and many other countries) "Of all your books, your book Fed Up with Food Intolerance is my favourite I just couldn’t put it down" - from Fed Up Roadshow 2015 Look inside
The Food Intolerance Network provides information and support for people worldwide using a low-chemical elimination diet free of additives, low in salicylates, amines and flavour enhancers (FAILSAFE) for health, behaviour and learning problems.
635 ribonucleotides warning from distributors
2025 consumer research by the food regulator FSANZ
Shooting for the stars
Red meat allergy risk increases
Marketing speak in environmental food claims
Energy drink ban for England's kids
Even some natural food colours may be harmful
Food additive preservatives and incidence of cancer
Popular sugar substitutes linked to faster brain aging
420 Sorbitol, popular sugar-free sweetener, now linked to liver disease
415 Xanthan gum linked to colon inflammation
Support community: Failsafers talking to each other. New and updated dietitians.
- see the application menu of your browser! 
How to improve NAPLAN - diet!
55% by colours (artificial and annatto E160b), natural amines
35% by synthetic antioxidants (e.g. BHA 320)
½ cup tapioca starch (or potato starch)
1 cup boiling water (add more as needed for dough consistency)
(optional for texture: 1 tsp oil)
1 tsp maple syrup
1 probiotic capsule, opened and powder tipped in (should contain Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis)
SWAP IT is a free evidence-based healthy lunchbox program for primary schools. The program supports parents and carers to SWAP what is packed in their child’s lunchbox from sometimes foods to everyday foods.
They have a very useful booklet you can stick on your fridge to help with daily school lunchboxes. 982 schools have joined it and more than 239,000 children!
It is not failsafe, but it is a good start in reducing preservatives and colours and UPFs - and you can adjust suggestions to suit your child’s sensitivities.
See more at www.swapit.net.au and register your school – thanks Bronwyn for her ongoing efforts.
You can scroll through the full text of all stories: for every story we report, there are probably another 10 that cover similar issues. And these are just the ones we get to hear about. Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Success story collections: organised by symptom or by additive keywords are proving the most popular downloads from the website. They'll be added to as time permits.[1706] 635: “my forehead and cheeks have reddened and reddened” (July 2026)
It is not safe for everybody. It should be banned, or at the least foods containing it should be made to clearly declare it on the label and stop trying to hide it, as I’m often finding is the case.
Since January this year (it’s now June) my forehead and cheeks have reddened and reddened. At first I just assumed it was the winter weather. Then my ears, then my nose, started to be affected. Horrendous dry skin. Pus filled spots. Definitely extra fluid in my face.
Was quite the mystery. Through an elimination diet, at the end of March this year I finally discovered the cause was the Bisto gravy I had bought three months earlier. What’s very surprising is I was only having a small jug of gravy once a week.
It is now late June. Three months without further poisoning myself, and my recovery is dreadfully slow. Redness still on the face but lessening. Pus spots now replaced by blood spots. Still noticing face can look ‘heavy’ every so often, from the extra fluid.
I’m now thinking it will be towards the end of the year for the effects to clear up, though I haven’t dismissed that the damage could well be permanent.
I’m frankly appalled by what it has done to my face. I don’t have any allergies that I know of and have never had to read food labels to avoid stuff. Due to E635 I now have to read food labels properly. I’ve seen it mostly listed by one of its names rather than its E number. Irritating, because manufacturers seem to want to hide they’ve used it despite the damaging side-effects it can have.
Google ‘Ribo Rash’. The Australian website, www.fedup.com.au is an excellent resource for how bad this additive can be for those who are sensitive to it – comment by APW on https://foodadditives.net/flavor-enhancer/disodium-5-ribonucleotides/ (June 2020)
Last night I finished it and had it after dinner with slices of apples. I DID NOT SLEEP ALL NIGHT and in the morning i woke up from half sleeping with a sudden wave of extreme trembling and nervousness that felt like I was poisoned. I even took a Xanax and it didn't make a dent.
See 160b Annatto factsheet with link to collection of adverse effects from this NATURAL food colour (53 pages).
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/people-may-risk-red-meat-allergy-caused-ticks-thought-rcna352712
• Beta-carotene (E160a): extracted from carrots and sweet potatoes
• Anthocyanins (E163): extracted from purple plants
• Caramel colours (E150 a, b, c, & d): made from cooked sugar
• Cochineal (E120): made from beetles (carminic acid-carmines) were also implicated.
Shah S, Hasenböhler A, Javaux G, et al. Food colouring additives and cancer incidence in the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort. Eur J Epidemiol. 2026 May;41(5):559-568. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41954817/
Excellent plain language: Food colourings and preservatives: Three new studies point to links between food additives and an increased risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension https://presse.inserm.fr/en/colorants-conservateurs-trois-nouvelles-etudes-pointent-des-liens-entre-additifs-alimentaires-et-risque-accru-de-cancer-de-maladies-cardiovasculaires-et-dhypertension/72881/
Food additive preservatives and incidence of cancer
Handy magnifying failsafe card UPDATED with QR code for hidden additives
This rechargeable 'electronic mask' is still in stock 
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Disclaimer: the information given is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor for possible underlying illness. Before beginning dietary investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food intolerance. Information is drawn from the scientific literature, web research, group members and personal enquiry; while all care is taken, information is not warranted as accurate and the Food Intolerance Network and Sue Dengate cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions.
© Sue Dengate 2026 (text) PO Box 718 WOOLGOOLGA NSW 2456, Australia but material can be reproduced with acknowledgement. Thanks to the many members who have written, phoned and contributed to this newsletter and particularly to Bronwyn, Teresa and Tracy for their help with recipes, facebook and story collections. Particular thanks to Leah G for using her graphic skills to help update the popular failsafe magnifying card! Further reading and viewing: Fed Up and The Failsafe Cookbook by Sue Dengate (Random House Australia), Fed Up with Children’s Behaviour (DVD) by Sue Dengate
