What’s Really in Baby Food? A Look at Flavourings in South Africa

In a landscape where the sugar content of baby foods has long been scrutinised, the presence of flavourings in commercial complementary foods (CCFs) for infants and young children remains a relatively unexplored terrain. A recent study by Wilana Barnard, Lisanne Monica du Plessis and Gunnar Oliver Sigge has shed light on this underexamined aspect of early nutrition in South Africa, painting a vivid picture of how sweet flavour profiles may be quietly shaping children’s palates.

Conducted across 26 retail outlets in the Western Cape and nine major online stores between June 2022 and February 2023, the research aimed to map the types and prevalence of flavourings in products intended for infants aged six to 23 months. Data were gathered from product labels, supported by direct engagement with manufacturers to ensure accuracy and reliability.

The findings revealed that 36.2% of the CCFs analysed contained added flavourings, with most products featuring one flavour and a smaller proportion containing up to three. Alarmingly, more than half of these flavoured products were targeted at babies as young as six months. Even more concerning, 48.6% of baby drinks, all marketed for six months and older, included added flavourings.

When examining product categories, the numbers became starker. A striking 84.2% of dry baby foods, such as cereals and porridges, contained flavour additives, overwhelmingly of a sweet nature, with vanilla emerging as the most dominant flavour. This suggests that infants are being introduced to sweet tastes early on, a practice that may influence their long-term taste preferences and eating habits, favouring sugary foods later in life.

Beyond flavour trends, the study also uncovered troubling regulatory oversights. Only 51% of products complied fully with South Africa’s labelling regulations regarding flavouring disclosure. Even more disconcerting, 78.3% violated rules governing non-addition claims, such as “no added sugar” or “natural flavour.” These findings highlight not only a gap in compliance but also a failure to uphold transparency in products designed for society’s most vulnerable consumers.

The implications stretch far beyond labelling. Early exposure to artificially sweetened or flavoured foods may recalibrate children’s developing palates, steering them towards sweetness as a default preference. Such conditioning, though subtle, could contribute to broader public health concerns ranging from poor dietary habits to obesity and metabolic disorders in later life.

As the researchers note, the findings call for an urgent reassessment of flavouring use in commercial baby foods. Stronger enforcement of existing regulations, coupled with clearer labelling practices, is essential. Parents rely on these labels to make informed choices, and misleading claims can erode trust in the very products marketed to nourish young lives.

While sugar has often taken centre stage in debates about infant nutrition, this study reveals another layer of concern: the quiet sweetness of flavourings that may be reshaping taste preferences long before solid food habits even begin.

Reform in the baby food industry will require more than compliance; it will demand integrity, transparency, and a commitment to helping infants cultivate a genuine appreciation for natural tastes rather than a dependence on artificially sweetened beginnings.

References:
Barnard, W., du Plessis, L. M., & Sigge, G. O. (2025). A Profile of Flavourings in Commercial Complementary Foods in South Africa. Maternal & Child Nutrition. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. DOI: 10.1111/mcn.70065