Gummy dietary supplements for children – helpful or harmful?
Piotr Merks1, Ewelina Drelich2, Urszula Religioni3, Jarosław Pinkas3, Marta Dąbrowska-Bender4, Magdalena Milewska4, Justyna Kaźmierczak2, Justyna Strocka3, Eliza Blicharska5, Beata Chełstowska6, Anna Staniszewska7, Regis Vaillancourt1, Maciej Walędziak8,9, Anna Mierzejewska1, Grzegorz Juszczyk10, Katarzyna Plagens-Rotman11, Anna Maria Różańska-Walędziak1
Affiliation and address for correspondenceIntroduction and objective: The optimal way to provide children with nutrients is through a balanced diet. However, this remains a challenge for many parents; therefore, they decide for dietary supplements intended for children. The aim of the article was to analyse the composition of available supplements for children in the form of gummies in terms of their content of additives, such as sweeteners, gelling agents, flavourings, and colourants. Materials and methods: 103 dietary supplements for children in the form of gummies available in the Polish market in 2022 were included in the analysis. The selection was made based on the manufacturer’s declarations on the packaging. Results: Colourants of synthetic origin included carmine and carminic acid (8/103; 7%), cochineal (5/103; 4.85%) and Brilliant Blue FCF (2/103; 1.94%). The acidity regulator in all analysed supplements was citric acid. Coconut oil (27/103; 26.21%), palm oil (9/103; 8.73%), sunflower oil (9/103; 8.73%), and rapeseed oil (5/103; 4.85%) were used as emulsifiers. That majority of products used simple carbohydrates as sweeteners, in the form of glucose syrup (52.43%), sugar (56.31%), and glucose (4.85%). Conclusions: Analysis of the declared composition of dietary supplements for children in the form of gummies indicates a high content of simple carbohydrates, sweeteners, and artificial colourants. There is a need to develop and implement precise guidelines for the composition of dietary supplements for children.
