Consumer Studies - Food additives

What are food additives?

Natural or chemical substances that are added to the food during manufacture to improve properties such as taste, texture, appearance and quality. Not considered nutritious

What are the reasons for the use of food additives and its effect on foods?

• A smoother and more even texture

  • Emulsifiers (prevent ingredients from separating)

  • Stabilisers and thickeners (gives a smoother texture)

  • Anti-caking agents (so that substances can flow freely)

• To improve or maintain nutritional value (fortify)

  • Sugar (fruit preservation)

  • Vitamins, minerals and nutrients (regularly added to flour, cereals, margarine and milk)

  • Vinegar (to pickle or preserve foods)

  • Salt (preservation of fish and meat)

• Extending shelf life

  • Preservatives (reduces the risk of food expiring quickly)

  • Antioxidants (retain the flavour of baked goods)

  • Additives (prevent fresh fruits from turning brown and mushy during exposure to air

• Helps with food processing and preparation

  • Rising agents (causes baked goods to rise)

  • Additives that change the acid-base balance (specific colour or flavour is obtained)

• Improving taste and flavour

  • Spices and herbs (brings out the taste in food)

• Improving appearance and colour (colouring agents)

Are food additives safe for human use?

• They are controlled by legislation - Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act

• Before adding food additives:

  • Put through a series of tests to investigate the possible risks

  • Long-term use is also tested

• A list of approved additives is published in legislation and food manufacturers must be able to prove whether their product is safe before it can be sold

• Codex GSFA - General Standard for Food Additives

• GRAS - Generally recognised as safe

  • Food additives that have been identified as safe and approved in the US.

• E-numbers - Food supplements approved by the EU, other countries use the same numbers without the E

• Some synthetic food additives have been linked to diseases or conditions such as:

  • Cancer

  • Digestive problems

  • Obesity

  • Heart Disease

What are the possible allergic reactions to food additives?

• Respiratory conditions

  • Asthma or swelling of the throat and face

    • In response to sulphites or benzoates used as preservatives (preventing browning in certain foods)

• Skin conditions

  • Swelling, hives, itchy skin rash

    • A reaction to certain food colouring agents such as tartrazine

• Nervous conditions

  • Hyperactivity, insomnia

    • A reaction to monosodium glutamate (MSG)

What are the different types of food additives?

Nutrients

• What is it?

  • Provides energy to the body, builds tissue and maintains general health

• What does it include?

  • Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals

• Why is it added to food?

  • To enrich certain foods that normally do not contain it

  • Restoration of the nutritional value are nutrients are lost during the processing process

  • To ensure that the minimum amount of nutrients is present in food

Emulsifiers

• What is it?

  • Makes it possible for oil and other liquids to mix and prevents separation

• What does it include?

  • Lecithin from soy and egg yolks

• Why is it added to food?

  • Improves the texture and volume of baked products

  • Smooth texture

Stabilisers

• What is it?

  • To give an even texture and improve the appearance

• What does it include?

  • Gelatine and pectin

• Why is it added to food?

  • Affects physical quality of food

Bleaching and colouring agents

• What is it?

  • To make food more appetising

• What does it include?

  • Calcium Peroxide (bleach) and tartrazine (colourant)

  • Natural or artificial colourants are extracted from various foods such as beets, roots, insects, leaves, flowers and seeds

• Why is it added to food?

  • Bleach can ensure that gel food appears whiter, flour can form an elastic dough and can improve the baking performance of flour

  • Slows down colour loss

Chemical preservatives

• What is it?

  • To prevent or slow down growth of microorganisms that can lead to food spoilage and decay

• What does it include?

  Can be natural or artificial

  • Natural: salt, vinegar, sugar and lemon juice

  • Artificial: calcium propionate, sodium nitrate, sulfur dioxide, sulphites, sodium benzoate

• Why is it added to food?

  • To extend shelf life

Antioxidants

• What is it?

  • Improves food quality and prolongs shelf life

• What does it include?

  • Retinol (Vit A), ascorbic acid (Vit C), tocopherol (Vit E) and selenium

• Why is it added to food?

  • Prevents oxidation and is beneficial to health

  • Serves as a preservative

Additives to enhance taste

• What is it?

  • Something that gives foods a specific flavour or smell

  • Can enrich existing flavours

• What does it include?

  • Spices, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), sweeteners, salts, chemical concentrates, acids

• Why is it added to food?

  • Encourage the consumer to buy it

  • Add flavour to some foods