No it isn't a silly question at all. I have asthma and sometimes react badly to certain food preservatives. Not all preservatives are a bad thing and obviously we need them in order to avoid spoilage of food but I can completely understand why people are concerned about their use/overuse.
As you say, if you have asthma it is definitely wise to avoid these things altogether but I think additives and preservatives are worthy of concern if they have been implicated in causing allergies and intolerances, whether a person currently exhibits symptoms or not. Personally, considering that an allergy may take a long time to show up, I would probably be cautious about giving kids foods that contain known allergens. The theory goes that it is the ongoing exposure to these substances which is causing people to have very bad reactions to them. The build up over time means that the body develops an intolerance. I have seen this also in my own family with their gluten sensitivities.
Cheers,
Mel
Last edited by Melbo; September 29th, 2006 at 06:44 AM.
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