Organic Baby Food ‘Can Be Low in Key Nutrients’

By ALISTAIR FOSTER

ORGANIC baby food can be high in sugar and lack key nutrients compared with non-organic varieties, researchers warned today.

A study by consumer organisation Which? found some organic baby foods contained three times the level of sugar that would be considered “a lot” for adults.

Which? said it thought some companies, including Heinz, Cow Gate and Sainsbury’s, had misleading labels which would make parents think their babies were getting more nutritious food than was actually the case.

Malcolm Coles, editor of Which?, said: “While we didn’t find any examples of the new rules actually being broken there was some creative labelling that might make you think you’re getting more nutritious food than you really are.

“We’d like to see much clearer labelling so parents know just what they’re buying.

“In the meantime examine the labels and try to complement processed baby food with healthy home cooking.”

Examples highlighted included Cow and Gate’s Organic Rosie’s Orchard Chicken, which contained just eight per cent chicken, and Heinz’s Mango and Pork Dinner – which has water as its main ingredient, followed by vegetables and mango, with just eight per cent pork.