Calcium Propionate

[mattsmum]

I thought this was worth mentioning. I have pulled all forms of dairy from difficult child diet and have seen a great improvement. A few weeks ago, I got lazy and was letting difficult child eat diary. Last weekend, after a major meltdown episode, I looked at the ingredients for what he ate (hot dog rolls). I was surprised to find this when I looked up Calcium Propionate...

Calcium propionate is used as a preservative in a wide variety of products, including but not limited to bread, other bakery goods, processed meat, whey, and other dairy products. Calcium propionate is used in bakery products as a mold inhibitor.

According to the Pesticide Action Network North America, calcium propionate is slightly toxic.[5] This rating is not uncommon for food products; Vitamin C is also rated by the same standards as being slightly toxic. [6] Calcium propionate can be used as a pesticide.[7]

Behavioral effects
Calcium propionate has been weakly linked to irritability, restlessness, inattention, and sleep disturbance in children.[8] The Ecologist Online claims that it is linked to allergic reactions in bakery workers.[9]

 

[Sara PA]

hmmm....

From Pubmed

CONCLUSIONS: Irritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance in some children may be caused by a preservative in healthy foods consumed daily. Minimizing the concentrations added to processed foods would reduce adverse reactions. Testing for behavioural toxicity should be included in food additive safety evaluation.

I don't have much prepared food in the house anymore and most of what's here is organic. Can some of you check the normal processed foods/snacks and see if calcium proionate is common in them, please? I'm going to check when I go to the store tomorrow.

My son got on an organic/natural kick about two years ago and swore he felt better eating more natural, less prepared foods with fewer additives. And this guy was the king of fast/prepared foods for a couple of years. He continues to feel better though he no longer buys organic foods; most things he eats are made from scratch from fresh products.