There was the woman who wet her pants at work after chomping through three packs of chewing gum a day. And then there was the man who went blind after regularly drinking seven bottles of fizzy a day.

But altogether the most disturbing aspect of What’s Really in Our Food (TV3, Tuesday night) was the attitude of the Food Safety Authority.

The programme looked at harmful ingredients in junk food. Artificial colourings and flavourings and aspartame were among the baddies, along with sugar and salt. Scientists and food safety campaigners voiced their concerns about the safety of aspartame and other additives in common consumption.
They pointed to scientific studies and anecdotal evidence that food additives cause cancer, hyperactivity and allergic reactions. Their evidence was enough to make me think twice about what food I eat that has these additives.

Yet, surprisingly, the Food Safety Authority repeatedly expressed their utmost confidence in the safety of these additives. Maybe there isn’t enough hard scientific evidence to ban additives like MSG or aspartme. But, as our food safety body, surely they should inform us of the possible harmful of consuming these products.

Is the FSA really working for the health of New Zealanders?

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