This is a Recipe Rose page that contains information on ingredients that you might not expect in certain foods and might not want to ingest.  

This includes  ingredients that you may not think would be in certain foods but are increasingly turning up.  Read labels carefully to determine for sure on individual products.

If there are no listed ingredients on store-packaged foods ask the department for an ingredients list.  For example on previously frozen fish ask the meat department.  They are required by law to have lists on hand for all products in the store.  There are a few exceptions to this; for more information on labeling foods in grocery stores in Canada visit Health Canada Food Labeling 

Any fish product whether canned or frozen may contain Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, also called sodium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium phosphate or TSPP.

40mg of pyrophosphate, a relatively small amount, will kill a rat.  If you do purchase a product such as canned tuna, which may or may not have this ingredient, think twice before feeding it to your cat for a treat.  Ask your meat department about their previously frozen fish products, including prawns, scallops, and crabmeat.  They may also contain this ingredient.

For more information on food additives Recipe Rose highly recommends the highly researched book  A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives  by Ruth Winter.

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The following information is an excerpt from

Claire McCarthy, MD

Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing

Common food additives and chemicals harmful to children

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• Bisphenols, such as BPA. They can act like the hormone estrogen and interfere with puberty and fertility. Bisphenols can also increase body fat, and cause problems with the immune system and nervous system. They are found in the lining of food and soda cans, plastics with the number 3 or 7, and cash register receipts, among other places. They used to be found in plastic baby bottles and sippy cups; while this has been banned, older bottles and cups may still contain them.

• Phthalates. These can also act like hormones, interfering with male genital development, and can increase the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease. They are ubiquitous, found not just in plastic packaging, garden hoses, and inflatable toys, but also in things like nail polish, hairsprays, lotions, and fragrances.

• Perfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs). They can lead to low-birthweight babies, as well as problems with the immune system, the thyroid, and fertility. They are commonly found in grease-proof paper, cardboard packaging, and commercial household products such as water-repellent fabric and nonstick pans, among other places.

• Perchlorate. This chemical also interferes with thyroid function, and can disrupt early brain development. It’s found in some dry food packaging — it’s used to decrease static electricity — and sometimes in drinking water.

• Artificial food colors. These have been found to increase symptoms in children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. They are found in all sorts of food products, but especially those marketed for children.

• Nitrates and nitrites. These can interfere with the thyroid, as well as with the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen to the body. They can also increase the risk of certain cancers. They are used to preserve food and enhance its color. They are commonly found in processed foods, especially meats.

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