UK baby food pouches found to be high in sugar and low in nutrients

A study published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood has found that many commercial baby food products sold in spouted pouches are high in sugar and low in essential nutrients. Researchers analyzed nearly 300 ready-to-eat products from six large UK supermarkets, discovering that half of the spouted pouches tested had a liquid consistency, whereas only 7% of foods in other packaging types were classified as liquids.

The analysis revealed that nearly two-thirds of the spouted-pouch products contained more sugar than breast milk. Furthermore, only approximately 8% of these products met the researchers’ full criteria for suitable complementary food. The study notes that products sold in jars, trays, or non-spouted pouches performed significantly better in terms of nutritional value and texture.

Beyond nutritional concerns, researchers highlighted that the liquid nature of these pouches may hinder the development of physical eating skills, such as chewing and manipulating solid food. Due to these findings, experts are calling for regulatory reviews to determine if spouted-pouch products should continue to be labeled as complementary foods.