Tim Tams cause AFK Community member
asthma and hives 

One of our AFK community members shares her experience with Tim Tams

A few months ago I had a severe case of hives including face and throat swelling  where I had to be hospitalised several times.. A few days ago I began having an asthma attack and had to be hospitalised, I don’t even have asthma.

 

I’ve just made the connection that the cause of my hives and asthma attack is the additives in Tim Tams. 

 

I’ve just started reading about additives and I am absolutely horrified. I don’t even know where to start but your website looks fantastic. 

 

I have a 14 month old baby girl who I want to protect and my husband suffers from terrible stomach issues. I had no idea about the dangers of additives. 

 

During all of this investigation over the last few months not one medical professional suggested it might be additives. 

 

Over the last couple of days when I suggest that I think it’s the additives in Tim Tams they laugh in my face

Have you had a close look at the ingredients of Tim Tams?

This AFK Community member advised me that the first instance was Tim Tams White.  The second instance was Tim Tam Originals. Let’s take a look at the ingredients of each.

Sugar, Wheat Flour, Vegetable Oil (Contain Soy), Milk Solids, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Golden Syrup, Food Colours (Caramel III(From Wheat), Beet Red, Cochineal, Annatto), Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Emulsifiers (Soy Lecithin, E476), Salt, Baking Powder, Flavours. 

Which of these ingredients could cause symptoms of asthma or hives?

E 160b (Annatto) – is known to have potential effects (Chemical Maze)

Head banging, headache, irritability, restlessness, sleep disturbance, urticaria (nettle rash or hives)

Flavours

We have no idea what the ingredients of this are.   Usually flavours are protected by intellectual property rights.  We know that this one ingredient could comprise a huge number of additives and other ingredients.  This one ingredient could cause wide ranging symptoms. 

E 150c (Caramel III) – is known to have potential effects^ (Chemical Maze)

Gastrointestinal problems, allergic and hypersensitive reactions, hyperactivity

E 120 (Cochineal) – is known to have potential effects^

Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Contact dermatitis, Gastrointestinal ailments, Hayfever, Hyperactivity, Mild to severe reactions, Urticaria (nettle rash or hives), Skin ailments (eczema, dermatitis, itching, hives, rash)

E 160b (Annatto) – is known to have potential effects 

Allergic and hyper sensitive reactions, Behavioural problems, Head banging, Headache, Hyperactivity, Hypotension, Irritability, Restlessness, Skin ailments (eczema, dermatitis, itching, hives, rash), Sleep disturbance, Urticaria (nettle rash or hives)

Flavours

We have no idea what the ingredients of this are.   Usually flavours are protected by intellectual property rights.  We know that this one ingredient could comprise a huge number of additives and other ingredients.  This one ingredient could cause wide ranging symptoms. 

Have you experienced any similar symptoms?

Have you experienced any similar symptoms to those listed above? If so, please comment below.  I would love to hear if you have experienced the same with this particular product or the additives that we have discussed.

Coming together and sharing our experiences, Additive Free Kids can collate our experiences and provide them to the manufacturer and lobby for change, on behalf of all our children, our future.  Currently there isn’t a central point to register these issues so that they can be investigated.  We would love to help get these additives out of our food!!

If you have experienced other symptoms to other foods that you have bought, we would love to hear from you, email us here.

Frankie Bell is the Managing Director of Additive Free Kids. Frankie is a food coach, mentor and is one of Australia’s leading activists against additives in food.

Frankie is a Mum to 5 boys and has personal experience working through the damaging effects of additives to resolve multiple health issues and behavioural problems in her own children. It became Frankie’s purpose to help other families achieve the same improvement in their families.

These changes can be overwhelming, especially for time poor parents. Frankie has done all the hard work for families to ensure they have access to additive free food anytime, anywhere.

If you would like to see how other popular biscuits rank, check out our Biscuits Product Review.