Fooling big people or tempting little people?

How food manufacturers fool parents and tempt children.

Yesterday my daughter was bought Robinsons FruitShoot Juice Drink by a relative. When I saw her proudly holding on the the purple bottle, I froze for a second. I knew that my child likes water, so what on earth was this thing doing in her hand? Apparently, she chose it herself, most likely attracted by the lively-coloured bottle.

Irresistible rainbow colours

I wasn't happy at all, but I didn't want to make too much fuss about it in front of my child. After arriving home I hid the remaining three bottles of this questionable drink and decided to have a closer look at it later. I noticed in the past few months a growing number of kids in the school and elsewhere drinking this juice drink, so my curiosity level was high. When I looked at the ingredients list, I was petrified. The first question that sprang to my head was WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANYONE GIVE SUCH A DRINK TO THEIR CHILD?

The ingredients list goes like this: Water, Fruit Juices from Concentrate (Apple 8%, Blackcurrant 2%), Citric Acid, Acidic Regulator (Sodium Citrate), Natural Colour (Anthocyanins), Natural Flavouring, Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate, Dimethyl Dicarbonate), Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid).

Well, I won't go into much detail about all the ingredients of the FruitShoot Juice Drink, but even a perfunctory look at the list would raise some suspicion in many diligent parents. While both preservatives used in the juice drink - Potassium Sorbate and Dimethyl Dicarbonate - are not considered to be very toxic, yet they are artificially added to the product to prolong its shelf life, not to add any value to the product itself. As for the two sweeteners used instead of sugar, the only motivation behind them was to create a juice drink which is low in sugar. Most parents know already that too much sugar is not good at all. Therefore, to make a product more attractive to parents, two sweeteners were used so that the product can proudly state that it is low in sugar.

A quick look at the label will gives us a hint of how dishonest manufacturers of convenience food for kids are. It says:

• Best Ever Taste! ---- Well, this is subjective so I won't comment on that.

• NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS OR FLAVOURS ---- Ha! This statement is malicious once we realize that the so-called juice drink contains two preservatives and two sweeteners.

• Apple & Blackcurrant Juice Drink LOW IN SUGAR ---- How much of a juice drink it's I wonder. It contains only 8% Apple juice and 2% Blackcurrant juice after all. 

A final thought on the convenience product for children. Whether we realize it or not, many convenience foods are designed to appeal to a child's mind. They are made to look attractive and appetizing to a young child who likes all those cute colourful things. It is not so because food manufacturers worry about your child eating a healthy and balanced diet or because they are worried your child will starve to death as a result of (such an often food) fussiness. Let's be very clear on that one: they do it for their very own financial gain to sell more of their own product. After all, there is nothing healthy about FruitShoot Juice Drink and dozen of other products on the shop shelves.

Making it all look, taste and sound fun, while the label isn't so much fun at all.