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Baby food 'seriously misleading'

Nutrition claims by some big brand baby foods have been shown to be seriously misleading.

Consumer group CHOICE test dozens of packaged baby and toddler snacks, finding many were highly processed, packed with sugar and surrounded by misleading language.

Some of the most popular brands of so-called ‘healthy snack foods' have turned out to be anything but.

One year old Roman Arcadi likes to eat and his mum Henna Taouk told 7 News she tried her best to make sure what he ate was good for him.

But she said it wasn't always easy.


“One thing that really surprised me is they put so much flavour in it,” Henna said.

“He’s not asking for flavour and he is one.”

A review of 80 popular baby products which claim to be nutritious, fruit filled and organic were found to be full of sugar and concentrate instead.

“The majority were littered with health halos and this is where the food manufacturers put on the pack pictures of fruit or vegetables,” Tom Godfrey from CHOICE said.

Some of the worst offenders were Rafferty’s Garden Strawberry Yogurt Buttons with more than 60 per cent total sugars.

The brand’s Apple Fruit snack bars contain more than 40 per cent.

Heinz apple and blueberry cereal bars also have more than 40 per cent.

“It’s one the box, it’s on the pack, it’s reaffirming with you that this has got vegetables in it,” Mr Godfrey said.

But just 1.5 per cent of one biscuit contains vegetables.

Many parents buy the baby snack food not because they think they are healthy but because they are convenient.

But they're paying the price for it.

A 12 gram bag of fruit wiggles costs about $1.80 so it is a lot cheaper, and just as easy, to grab an apple for around 80 cents.