FOOD ADDITIVES

FOOD ADDITIVES
Types of additives and examples Food preservatives have been used since ancient times. Ancient civilization used salt to preserve meat and fish, herbs and spices to improve the flavor of food. specific purposes such as a) Making food last longer by preventing the growth of microorganism. b) Making food last longer by preventing the oxidation of fats and oils by oxygen in air. c) Making food taste or smell better. d) Improving the texture of food and to prevent food from becoming liquid. e) Restoring the colour of food destroyed during food processing. f) Adding colouring to food so as to make the food look fresher, more interesting or more appetizing.

- Food additives are chemicals that are added to food in small quantities for

- There are six types of food additives as shown below :

PRESERVATIVES TYPE OF FOOD ADDITIVES

ANTIOXIDANTS

STABILISER

THICKENERS

FLAVOURING AGENTS

DYES

Types of food additives

Functions of food additives

Preservatives Preservatives are chemicals that are added to food to retard or to prevent the growth of microorganism such as bacteria, mould or fungus, so that the food can be stored for a long time. In ancient times, food additives from natural sources such as salt, sugar and vinegar were used to preserve food and to make the food taste better. Nowadays, synthetic preservatives are use, table below shows the types of preservatives commonly used. Many of the preservatives are organic acids and salts of organic acids. Molecular formula NaNO2 NaNO3 Uses To preserve meat, cheese and dried fish. To prevent food poisoning in canned foods. To maintain the natural colour of meat and to make them look fresh To preserve sauce (olyster, tomato or chilli), fruit juice, jam and margarine Used as bleaches and antioxidants to prevent browning in fruit juices. Maintain the colour and freshness of vegetables. To prevents the growth of yeast

Preservative Sodium nitrite Sodium nitrate

Benzoic acid Sodium benzoate Sulphur dioxide Sodium sulphite

C6H5COOH C6H5COONa SO2 Na2SO3

Antioxidants Antioxidants are chemicals that are added to foods to prevent the oxidation of fats and oils by oxygen in the air. Foods containing fats or oils are oxidized and become rancid when exposed to air.

When the fats and oils are oxidized, rancid product are formed. This makes the food unpalatable. The rancid products are volatile organic compound with foul odors (for example, butanoic acid, C3H7COOH). Antioxidants are added to fats, oils, cakes, sausages, biscuits and fried foods to slow down the oxidation process so that these foods do not become rancid.

Flavouring agents

There are two types of flavouring agents: artificial flavours and flavour enhancer. They are added to foods to make them taste better. Flavour enhancers have little or no taste of their own. They are chemicals that are added to food to bring out the flavours or to enhance the taste of food. An example of a flavour enhancer is monosodium glutamate (MSG). MSG is used to enhance the flavours of other foods. Artificial flavour includes sweeteners and other flavours such as peppermint or vanilla. Aspartame and saccharin are examples of artificial sweeteners. Both aspartame and saccharin can be used as a substitute for sugar to enhance the sweetness in food and drink. However, the used of saccharin is banned in many countries because it is carcinogenic. Aspartame has largely replaced saccharin as the artificial sweetener or choice. Many esters have fruity odours and tastes and are used as artificial flavours. Table below shows some examples of esters that are used in making drinks. Ester Flavour Benzyl ethanoate Strawberry Octyl ethanoate Orange Ethyl butanoate Pineapple

Stabilisers and thickening agents Stabilisers and thickening agents improve the texture and the blending of foods. Stabilisers are chemicals that are used to enable oil and water in the food to mix together properly in order to form an emulsion of oil and water. Examples of stabilizers are gelatin and acacia gum. Stabilisers are added to improve the texture of foods. For examples, stabilisers are added to ice-cream and peanut butter to keep them smooth and creamy. In the presence of stabilisers, the emulsion of oil does not separate from water. This means that the stabilisers improve the stability of some foods such as ice-cream and salad dressings (mayonnaise) Without stabilisers, ice crystals would form in ice-cream, particles of chocolate would settle out of chocolate milk, oil and vinegar in salad dressing will separate as soon as mixing is stopped. Thickening agents are chemicals that are added to foods to thicken the liquid and to prevent the foods from becoming liquid. Thickening agents (also called thickeners) absorb water and thicken the liquid in foods to produce a jelly-like structure. Most thickening agents are natural carbohydrates. Gelatin and pectin are added to help jams and jellies to set. Dyes Dyes (colouring agents) are chemicals that are added to foods to give them colour so as to improve their appearance. Some foods are naturally coloured, but the colour is lost during food processing. The foods industry uses synthetic food colours to : a) Restore the colour of food lost during food processing.

b) Enhance natural colours, so as to increase the attractiveness of foods. c) Give colour to foods that do not have colour. Some dyes are naturally plant pigments while others are synthetically prepared. The synthetic colours used in foods are azo and triphenyl compounds. Both these compounds are organic compounds. The synthetic dye, brilliant blue, is an example of triphenyl compound. The synthetic dye, tartrazine and sunset yellow are examples of azo compounds. Azo compounds are organic compounds containing the diazo group, - N = N -, and are usually yellow, red, brown, black in colour. Triphenyl compounds are organic compounds containing three phenyl groups, C6H5, and are usually green. Blue or purple in colour.

Effect of food additives on health The types of food additives allowed and the quantity permitted are controlled by the 1983 Food Act and the 1985 Food Regulation. The permissible quantity depends on the type of food and the food additives. For example, benzoic acid added must not exceed 800 mg per kg in cordial drinks, whereas sodium nitrite must not exceed 100 mg per kg in meat product. The excessive intake of food additives for a prolonged period of time will ruin our health. The side effects arising from taking food additives are allergy, cancer, brain damage and hyperactivity. Allergy a) Food additives such as sodium sulphite (preservative), BHA and BHT (antioxidants), MSG (flavouring) and some food colours (e.g, Yellow No. 5) can cause allergic reactions in some people. b) The symptoms of MSG allergy are giddiness, chest pain and difficulty in breathing. This condition is called the Chinese restaurant syndrome c) The presence of sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite in food can cause blue baby syndrome that is fatal for babies. This syndrome is due to the lack of oxygen in the blood. Hence, the use of nitrate and nitrite is allowed in baby foods. Cancer a) Chemicals that cause cancer are called carcinogens. Sodium nitrite (a preservative) is a potent carcinogen. b) The nitrite reacts with the amines in food to produce nitrosamine which can cause cancer.

Brain damage Excessive intake of nitrites for a prolonged period of time can cause brain damage. In this condition, the supply of oxygen to the brain is disrupted and this cause brain damage. Hyperactivity a) Food additives such as tartrazine can cause hyperactivity. b) Children who are hyperactivity become very active, find it difficult to relax or sleep and are very restless.

Reading the Food Label You must read the label on the food package to identify a) Brand name b) The net weight c) The halal symbol for Muslim consumers d) The nutrient content (for example, carbohydrates, proteins and fats, minerals and vitamins). e) Food additives used f) Expiry date g) Address of the manufacturer Food additives listed in the food labels are usually represented by the code number E. This code number shows that the food additives have been approved. Figure 5.5 shows a typical food label for an orange drink.

The rationale for using food additives

Advantages 1. To prevent food spoilage a) Oxidation and microorganism (bacteria, fungi) are the main causes in the decomposition of food. In hot climate, meat and fish rot easily. The use of preservatives is an effective way to prevent food spoilage. If the used of preservatives is an effective way to prevent food spoilage. b) If preservatives are not used, food spoilage might drastically reduce the food supply, making for costlier food.

c) Few deaths are associated with the used of food additives. However, many people have die due to food poisoning caused by bacterial toxins. 2. For medical reason a) Aspartame and sorbitol are used to make food and drink sweet without using sugar. These food additives are particularly useful as artificial sweeteners for diabetic patients. b) Artificial sweetener give the sweet taste but without adding calories to the food. Thus, they can be used to reduce obesity.

Disadvantage 1. Eating food additives such as preservatives, antioxidants and flavour enhancers is excess quantities over a long period of time is detrimental to health. 2. Some food additives are used to make foods look more appealing. These additives have little nutritional value. Eating such foods increases the risk of health hazard. 3. Some foods are fortified with excess amounts of nutrients, such as vitamins A and D, or of trace elements, such as copper and zinc. Eating foods with excessive amounts of nutrients can ruin our health. Live without food additives Imagine life without food additives. The following situations will occur. 1. Food spoilage will drastically reduce the food supply. This will result in food shortages around the world. 2. Diseases will flourish again due to deficiencies of vitamins and minerals in our food. 3. Loss of appetite will be common particularly among the younger generation because our food will not look, taste, and smell good and this will affect their appetites.