Principles of food science Chapter #14: Chemicals

Acidulants:

make a food acid or sour; added to foods primarily to change the taste and to control microbial growth

Antimicrobial agents:

substances that prevent or inhibit growth of

microorganisms

Antioxidants:

a substance that can stop an oxidation reaction; a substance that slows down or interferes with the deterioration of fats through oxidation

Chelating agents:

substance that binds strongly to multivalent cations, by several anionic groups acting like pincers, for example EDTA

Delaney clause:

government action enforced by the FDA that basically says the food industry cannot add any substance to food if it induces cancer when

ingested by man or animal

Emulsifier:

a substance that acts as a bridge at the interface between two immiscible liquids and allows the formation of an emulsion; a substance that aids in producing a fine division of fat globules

GRAS:

the list of food additives that are generally recognized as safe by a panel of experts

Lake:

any of various usually bright clear or organic pigments composed basically of a soluble dye absorbed on or combined with an inorganic carrier

Sequestrants:

a substance that binds or isolates other substances

Stabilizer:

a water holding substance, such as vegetable gum, that interferes with ice crystal formation and contributes to a smooth texture in frozen

desserts

Surface active agents:

an emulsifier; these improve the uniformity of a food the fineness of grain the smoothness and body of foods such as bakery goods

Why are Food additives (chemicals) used?

Food additives (chemicals) are used only to maintain or to improve quality of food or to give it some added quality that consumers want

When does the FDA allow the use of additives?

only if proven information has shown the additive will accomplish the intended effect in the food

Reasons to use additives

see page 36 of 71.

What are food additives?

Food additives are any substances used intentionally in food and that may reasonably be expected to, directly or indirectly, become a component of food or affect the characteristic of any food

Intentional food additives include the following:

o Flavors

o Colors

o Vitamins

o Minerals

o Amino acids

o Antioxidants

o Antimicrobial agents

o Acidulants

o Gums

o Sequestrants

o Surface active agents

o Sweeteners

Additives are used to achieve what?

One or a combination of four purposes:

o To maintain or improve nutritional value

o To maintain freshness

o To aid in processing or preparation

o To make food more appealing

Categories of additives that benefit food

o Nutritional additives

o Color modifiers

o Flavoring agents

o Texturing agents

o Aids to processing

Other functions of additives:

Hardening, drying, leavening, antifoaming, firming, crisping, anti-sticking, whipping, creaming, clarifying and sterilizing

What group of food additives add the most value to foods?

Flavors. Flavors are generally used in very low levels.

What are Sweeteners?

Are the most heavily used (sucrose, high fructose syrup, dextrose, salt)

Unacceptable reasons why chemicals have been added to food over the years?

o To disguise inferior products

o To deceive the consumer

o To provide otherwise desirable results that lower the nutritional value

o To replace good manufacturing processes

o To use in amounts greater than necessary

Preservatives include?

antioxidants, Sequestrants, and anti-microbial agents

Common antioxidants are:

o BHT, BHA, TBHQ, erythorbic acid, sodium erythorbate

Common antimicrobial agents:

o Benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, calcium propionate, potassium

What are sequestrants?

Sequestrants are chelating agents

o They are organic compounds that react with

metallic ions to bind in a relative inactive

structure

o Prevent metals from catalyzing reactions of fat

oxidation, pigment discoloration, flavor and odor

loss

Nutritional Additives

- Vitamins and minerals are added to foods to make them more nutritious and sometimes to replace those nutrients lost during processing

- Some examples include bread that has been enriched, milk with vitamin D added, and margarine with vitamins A and D added

Color modifiers

- Colors include both natural and synthetic colorants

The FDA role with color additives

The FDA is responsible for controlling all color additives used in the country

All color additives are classified as:

Either "certifiable" or "exempt from certification"

List the color additives that are permitted for direct addition to human food in the US:

o FD&C Blue No 1,2

o FD&C Green No.3

o FD&C Red No. 3, 40

o FD&C Yellow No. 5,6

Colors exempt

o Annatto extract

o Beta - carotene

o Beet powder

o Carrot oil etc.

Certifiable color additives are available for use in food as what?

As either dyes or lakes

Describe dyes

Dyes dissolve in water and are made as powders, granules, liquids, or other special purpose forms

o Used in beverages, dry mixes, baked goods,

dairy products

Describe Lakes

Lakes are the water insoluble form of dye and therefore are more stable than dyes and are ideal for coloring products containing fats and oils or items lacking sufficient moisture to dissolve dyes

List reasons why colors are used in food products:

o To offset color loss due to exposure

o To correct natural variations in color

o To strengthen colors that occur naturally but at

levels weaker than those usually associated with

a given food

o To provide a color identity to foods that would

otherwise be colorless

o Provide a colorful appearance to certain "fun

foods"

o To protect flavors and vitamins that may be

affected by sunlight during storage

o To provide an appealing variety of healthy and

nutritious foods that meet consumer needs

Flavoring Agents are used for?

o Some flavoring agents, such as spices and liquid

derivatives of onion, garlic, peppermint enhance

flavor

o Synthetic flavoring that resemble natural flavors

have been developed and these have the

advantage of being more stable than natural

flavors

Texturing agents, Examples and function

- Emulsifiers are sometime called surface active agents these improve uniformity of a food

- Stabilizers and thickeners add smoothness, color uniformity, and flavor uniformity

Describe Acidulants (Use and examples)

- Acidulants make a food acidic or sour

- Added to foods to primarily change the taste and

to control microbial growth

- Include: citric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid,

hydrochloric acid

Why use fat replacers?

In an attempt to reduce the fat intake, the food industry is attempting to modify fat itself

Categories of fat replacers

o Decreasing fat content

o Using fat replacers, substitutes, extenders,

mimetic, or synthetic fat

Fat replacers include various carb based, protein based, and fat based replacers for different food categories which includes

o Olean

o Olestra

o Amalean 1 and 2

o Cellulose and hemicelluloses

o Chitosan

o Hydrocolloids

Describe Irradiation

- FDA considers irradiation of food as an additive

- Irradiated food is safe and will last longer as

irradiation used to control microorganisms on

beef, lamb and pork

- Irradiation of fruits and vegetables means longer

shelf life for those items

Hazards

What are GRAS substances?

GRAS substances are ingredients that may be added to food without extensive prior testing and were established to avoid the burden of proving

the safety of substances already regarded as safe

Hazards

- About 90% present no significant hazard with normal human food uses

- Some chemicals are naturally a part of the food, but they are at such low

levels they are harmless