ST Joseph High School Grade 10
Subject: Food Nutrition and Health
Topic:Food Additives
A food additive is broadly defined as any substance, other than the usual ingredients, that is
added to a food for a specific purpose, for example flavouring preserving, stabilizing, thickening.
This definition includes substance used in production, processing treatment, packing
transportation or storage of food
Natural additives are those produced by plants and animals and are extracted directly from
natural products.
Synthetic or artificial additives are produced in the laboratory. They are pure and are more
manageable with regard to the amounts that are used Many additives are not new. Spices.
flavouring and preserving agents have been added to food for thousands of years. Sugar and
salt are the most common food additives. For example, saltpetre, sometimes called potassium
nitrate, has been used for many years in the curing process to stop the development of harmful
bacteria. Many basic and traditional kitchen ingredients, such as sodium bicarbonate and cream
of tartar, can be described as additives.
The main reasons for their use are: to 1.improve or maintain the nutritional quality of food.
2.to prevent spoilage and maintain freshness
3.to enhance flavour or appearance.
4.to assist in the processing, preparation packaging or transporting of the product.
Important guidelines concerning the use of additives
Scientists agree that the use of additives should be regulated. They have suggested that the
following guidelines be considered when an additive is to be used in a food.
1. It must be safe to use.
2. It must be used only in the minimum quantity necessary for it to work.
3. It must be effective in its intended use.
4. It should be, where possible, of nutritional value to the body.
5 .It must not mask the quality or nature of a food.
A list of generally recognized as safe' (GRAS) substances
1.Multi-purpose food substances:
acetic acid, caffeine, papain, propylene glycol
2.Chemical preservatives:
calcium propionate,butylated hydroxyanisole
propionic acid
3.Sequestrants:
citric acid,calcium chloride, tartaric acid sodium potassium tartrate.
4.Stabilizers:
ammonium alginate, calcium alginate chondrus extract,sodium alginate.
5.Anti-caking agents:
aluminium calcium silicate,calcium silicate
magnesium silicate,tricalcium silicate
6.Emulsifying agents:ascorbic acid
Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats/oils or edible fat-forming acids
propylene glycol
7.Dietary supplements:
ascorbic acid,linoleic acid, vitamin B12
Tocopherols
8.Nutrients:
ascorbic acid, linoleic acid, carotene, sodium phosphate
What do additives do?
Some additives are necessary to make dishes palatable and enjoyable while others are added
to replace nutrients lost during processing or preservation.. Because some people develop
allergic reactions to different foods, they may be sensitive to some additives. Knowing the
groupings and purposes can help consumers to make informed choices when shopping.
The wide-ranging functions of additives can be divided into five main categories:
1. To keep food fresh, stable and safe: preservatives, anti-oxidants.
2. To improve appearance and taste; colours, flavours. flavour enhancers.
3 .To sweeten foods: natural sweeteners, non-nutritive sweeteners.
4. To improve texture and consistency: emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners,gelling agents.
5 .Other uses: leavening agent, dough conditioner.
Food additive categories
Some food additives perform more than one function. For example, citric acid has the following
uses: acid/acidulant in butter, anti-oxidant in prepared mixes, flavour in beverages.
Acids: Acids are added to impart a sour or sharp flavour, or to control the level at which other
substances in the food can function: e.g. lactic acid in cookies and beverages, phosphoric acid
in beverages. Substances which neutralize acids are called alkalis or bases: e.g. calcium,
sodium and ammonium hydroxide. Substances which can hold the acid-alkali balance at a
constant level are called buffers: e.g acetic acid in beverages and cereals. Acids are also used
for setting jams and in baking powders.
Added nutrients: For replacement of lost nutrients during processing: eg addition of vitamin C
to canned citrus juices. To enrich products: e.g. addition of B vitamins, iron, calcium and vitamin
D to cereals and macaroni products To fortify some products by adding ingredients not normally
found in that food: e.g. butter and margarine are fortified with vitamins A and D. salt is lodized to
prevent goitre. For nutrification in this case manufacturers can make any food that will substitute
for a complete meal. Can you give examples of some that are often advertised?
Anti-caking agents: These substances help foods to flow freely and prevent the particles, such
as in salt or powdered milk, from sticking together e.g. sodium stearate in garlic powder or
calcium silicate in baking powder.
Anti-oxidants: Antioxidants are added to lats to prevent the process of oxidation, which causes
fats to go rancid and develop 'off flavours'. Antioxidants are also added to non-fat foods, such as
cut fruits, to stop the discoloration brought on by oxidation. Examples are: citric acid in butter or
butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in breakfast cereals.
Bleaching agents: These are utilized to artificially bleach and whiten flour etc.: e.g. benzoyl
peroxide in white cheese or chlorine dioxide in wheat flour.
Bulking agents: Bulking agents contribute to the bulk of the food without increasing the energy
or caloric value: e.g. methyl cellulose in bread.
Curing and pickling agents: Substances used in meat curing to prevent the growth of
Clostridium botulinum during processing and storage and to create the pink colour in hanas,
bacon, etc.: e.g. sodium nitrite in hams, pickled meats.
Dough conditioner (strengthener): Examples are: calcium bromate in bakery products or
sodium metabisulphite in bread.
Enrutsifiers: Chemicals with surface active properties that help io create an emulsion and to
preserve the structure of the food: e.g. monoglycerides or lecithin are used in the manufacture
of a salad dressing.
Firming agents: Calcium and magnesium salts used to help retain the natural firmness or
crispness of fruits and vegetables and so prevent their softening during processing: e.g. calcium
chloride in canned foods.
Flavour modifiers or enhancers: These are used to enhance flavour: e.g. sugar, salt, spices,
MSG.
Gelling agents: Substances capable of forming a gel: e.g. pectin in jams and jellies.
Glazing agents: These provide either a shiny appearance or polish to the food or a protective
coat, or both: e.g. beeswax, camauba wax, shellac petrolatum or petroleum jelly.
Humectants: Substances which absorb water vapour from the atmosphere and prevent food
from becoming hard and unpalatable: e.g. glycerin in royal icing or sorbito or monostearate in
shredded coconut, marshmallows, dried fruits.
Leavening agents: Examples are mono-calcium phosphate and sodium bicarbonate in baking
powder.
Packaging gases: Inen gases which occupy space in packaging so as to prevent oxidation of
the contents or growth of microorganisms.
Preservatives: Substances which inhibit the growth of microorganisms bacteria, yeasts and
moulds. For some products this prevents decay and spollage and extends the shelf life of the
foods. In others, the preservatives are essential to stop the growth of food poisoning organisms
which could be a health hazard They may also serve as anti-oxidants, as stabilizers, as firming
agents and as humectants: e.g. table sugar (sucrose) in making jellies, preserves and cured
hams: table salt (sodium chloride) is used in brines or in curing solutions: nitrate and nitrite in
cured meats.
Propellants: Gases or volatile liquids which are sealed under pressure in an aerosol food
container. They enable an aerosol can to spray out its contents.such as cream in a can with a
nozzle, upon depressing the button: e.g. carbon dioxide, nitrogen.
Sequestrants: Substances which attach themselves to trace metals, such as tron, copper or
calcium, to prevent deterioration of food by oxidation: eg calcium disodium in salad dressing or
ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA in fats and oils. Stabilizers and thickeners: This term
may also include gelling agents. They function in a similar way to emulsifiers Stabilizers prevent
the droplets in an from separating out: they add to the viscosity or thickness of the emulsion
medium or form protective colloids: c.g carboxymethylcellulose in salad
dressings or gum arabic in frozen desserts.
Sweeteners: Nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners. As well as sugars such as sucrose and
glucose, foods may be sweetened with intense sweeteners Saccharin and aspartame
(Nutrasweet), required only in small quantities. produce the sweetness of sugar without the
calories of carbohydrate.
Thickeners: These improve the texture and mouthfeel of Food products eg. guar gum, modified
food starch, amylopectin.
General concerns
Carcinogens
There is some concern about the possible carcinogenic effect of some additives, and their use is
being questioned or has been banned in some states. Examples of additives that are causing
concern are: monosodium glutamate (MSG). used to enhance flavours: bromates, as in
potassium
bromate used in flour; nitrites and nitrates.
Allergies
Some people can have allergic reactions to some additives, and it is important that they read
the labels on processed foods Labelling regulation requires that ingredients, including water
must be red in descending order by weight. This is a useful way to determine the amount of an
additive present to see, for example whether it comes above or below sal in the list.
Hyperactivity
Certain additives are associated with hyperactivity in children. Consumer pressure has resulted
in a recommendation that certain colours or flavors be avoided Some of these are E102
tartrazine E110 Sunset Yellow FCF. 128 Red 2G: E133 Brilliant Blue FCF.
Controversial food additives
Artificial colours, especially Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5
Difficulty with obtaining a reliable supply of natural colour has led manufacturers to prefer the
synthetic or artificial substitutes. Red No. 40 was associated with cancer, while Yellow No
caused allergic reactions in the form of rashes and sniffles. These two must not exceed the
levels permitted for use in foods, and specific information must be given on the name when they
are used in a food. They cannot be hidden under the term artificial colouring.
Artificial sweeteners-saccharin and cyclamates
Saccharin. 300-500 times as sweet as sucrose, is derived from coal tar. It was linked to bladder
cancer in animals in 1977. While saccharin can cross the placenta during pregnancy, to date
there is no evidence that proves harm to humans. Cyclamates are less sweet, only 30 times the
sweetness of sucrose However, caution in their use is suggested
Nitrites and nitrates
Nitrates can be reduced so nitrite. The nitrites can be combined with amines and amides to
produce compounds called nitrosamines and nitrosamides. It is these substances that are
believed to be carcinogenic, probably causing stomach cancer. Diets high in fruits and
vegetables are considered helpful in counteracting any negative effects.
Caffeine
Research is ongoing about the effects of caffeine in different sinations and the level of
acceptable dose before any negative effects are experienced.
MSG
Monosodium glutamate is a salt of the amino acid glutamic acid and sodium. This acid is used
in many different salt forms to enhance flavour. but the one most commonly used is
monosodium glutamate under names such as vetsin.
