• Partially defatted peanuts - This may sound like the peanuts are healthier, but actually they are defatted to prevent the peanut oil migrating out of the nuts and disturbing the "texture, appearance and stability" of the product, according to Nutrin which makes these. It appears the surface oil of the nut is removed.
• Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (palm kernel and soybean oil) - Hydrogenated oil means the oil has been chemically modified to make it more stable and solid at room temperature. So palm and soybean oil has been partially treated.
• Corn syrup - This is the stuff everyone hates in America mainly because it is used in so many processed foods and is sweeter and cheaper than cane sugar. It is a sugar, pure and simple, which comes from corn and health advocates claim the way the body processes corn syrup is different to that of other sugars and the fructose in that it goes straight to the liver to be turned into fat. Which leads to diabetes and heart disease.
• Dextrose - This is another form of sugar made from a starch other than sugar cane.
• Colours (102,133,129) - These are all artificial. They are tartrazine (102), brilliant blue (133) and allura red (129).
Both tartrazine and allura red were included in a voluntary phase-out called for by Britain's Food Standards Agency and a European Union-wide health warning must now be put on any food or drink that still contains this colour because it is thought to cause hyperactivity in some children.
Brilliant blue (133) is an artificial flavour which has been the topic of many studies, most recently by the European Food Safety Authority and is currently allowed in foods.
I'm also a bit suspicious of this label as the American label further down the pack lists four different colours with the American names yellow 5 lake, blue 2 lake, red 40 lake and blue 1 lake.
According to my research these translate to the three colours listed on the New Zealand label but there is one left out which is blue 2 lake, or indigotine which is 132 on our labels. So they've missed out one.
• Glazing agent (903) • This is carnauba wax (903) which is made from the leaves of the carnauba palm.
• Salt - Not too much sodium in here at 52mg per 12 eggs.
• Cornstarch - This is cornflour as we use at home, most likely in here as a thickener.
• Emulsifier (soy lecithin) - This is soy lecithin which is a natural ingredient.
• Modified cornstarch - This is cornflour which would have been treated in some way to behave a little differently.
• Glazing agent (904) - This is shellac which is a natural, organic resin.
• Flavour - This is artificial flavour.
• Whole milk powder
My recommendations
I wouldn't want these near my grandchildren at Easter. They have defatted peanuts, hydrogenated oil, modified cornflour plus corn syrup and artificial colours and flavours.
When it comes to Easter, it pays to have your own Easter egg hunt at the supermarket.
If you search hard enough you will find products which do not use artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. They will all use loads of sugar, but it's Easter and you'd have to be several kinds of mean not to let your kids have a treat or at least an Easter egg hunt.
Good chocolate products will not need artificial flavouring or colouring. Countdown's Select range does not use artificial additives and some local producers make a big effort not to also.
So go armed with your glasses or a magnifying glass and check out the ingredients. And in my opinion, the more natural your confectionery, the better it tastes.
Highlights
• Uses defatted peanuts, hydrogenated palm oil and corn syrup.
• Has artificial colours, one not listed on the label.
• Uses artificial flavours.
