Famous for the charcoal sketch of a smiling baby on its products, the Gerber Products Company has produced baby food for generations. The company makes a whole host of baby foods, including cereal, which is the first solid food that many babies eat. Gerber oatmeal with bananas is made with whole grain, fruit, vitamins and minerals. In total, the cereal contains 15 ingredients.
Oat and Wheat
Gerber uses whole-grain oat flour containing wheat to make Gerber oatmeal. Ingredients list both oats and wheat because many times wheat will grow in an oat field or the processing plant will use the same equipment for both grains. As a babies move from a liquid diet to solid foods, they may develop constipation. Whole-grain oat flour supplies needed fiber to keep intestinal digestion moving, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Banana Flakes
Bananas contain important dietary potassium and fiber. They also contain vitamin A, B vitamins and a some vitamin C, as well as the minerals calcium and magnesium. One large banana contains 2 g of protein and 4 g of fiber, according to Banana.com. Gerber oatmeal with bananas contains banana flakes made from puree of fully ripened bananas, which is drum-dried into flakes.
Calcium Phosphates
Gerber oatmeal with bananas contains both tricalcium phosphate and dicalcium phosphate. Food companies commonly use these food additives to improve product quality, as they are not very good as calcium supplements. Since the calcium is bound to phosphate, it does't dissolve completely during digestion. Tricalcium is used as anticaking agent, while dicalcium phosphate is used as a dough conditioner.
Soy
Other ingredients added to the oatmeal include soybean oil and soy lecithin. Gerber uses the oil and the lecithin as emollients and emulsifiers. Emollients and emulsifiers allow smooth mixing of ingredients, product stability and reduced stickiness. These food additives keep the cereal ingredients from separating and crystallizing, according to the FDA.
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to the vitamins and minerals in the banana flakes, Gerber oatmeal by itself contains mixed tocopherols, which are added as preservatives. According to the European Food Safety Authority, mixed tocopherols need to be considered as part of the total vitamin E allowed in foods. The oatmeal also contains a variety of B complex vitamins, which are important for growth and development. The minerals found in Gerber oatmeal are food additives zinc sulfate and electrolytic iron.
References
- Gerber.com: Gerber Grain & Fruit Cereal-Oatmeal & Banana
- Mayo Clinic; Infant and Toddler Health; What are the Signs of InFant Constipation; Jay L. Hoecker; May 2009
- Banana.com: Nutritional Benefits
- Gerber Ingredients: Gerber Banana Flakes High Density
- Oregon State University; Calcium Phosphate, Di Calcium Phosphate, Mono Calcium Phosphate, Tri-basic Calcium Phosphate; Ruth Winter, Robert Igoe; 1978, 1983
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Food Ingredients and Colors; April 2010
Member Comments