Additives Flashcards
what are additives
other “things” that appear in our food
make processed and convenience food possible
Are all additives bad
no
Example of a good additive
natural ones such as vinegar as a preservative or honey as an emulsifier
Flavorings
used to boost the flavor of a product or pie it a flavor to trick our taste buds into thinking it is something is isn’t
what can a flavoring be according to the code of federal regulations?
essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating, or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit, or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional
what is a flavorings significant function
flavoring rather than nutritional
diacetyl
flavoring item of special concern; chemical used to create the buttery flavor in microwaveable popcorn- popcorn lung/bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome
can cause accumulation of amyloid-b, linked to Alzheimer’s disease
margarine, food sprays, candies, oils
natural flavor examples
MSG, castoreum (beaver anal gland secretions)
Preservatives
prevent growth of mold and bacteria to keep food from decomposing, or stop the ripening process until delivered to grocery store
Common preservatives
BHA, BHT, EDTA, TBHQ, benzoates, propionates, nitrates, sulfites
Risks of preservatives
allergies, asthma, eczema, migraines, digestive distress, cancer, or toxic
Emulsifiers
keep foods from separating; many possess anti-caking or anti-foaming properties and are used in whipped goods, some control rate of crysallization in peanut butter, shortenings
Natural emulsifers
eggs, honey, mustard
commercial emulsifiers are often found in…
creamy foods, soft drinks, frozen foods, many breads or baked goods, and spreads such as margarine
carageenan
made from red seaweed, avoid in diet- potential for free glutamic acid (MSG), highly inflammatory to GI tract
can cause ulcerative colitis like symptoms in animal studies, colon cancer
polysorbate 80
common emulsifier, carcinogenic effect
propylene glycol
emulsifier; alternative use in antifreeze; can cause allergies and asthma in children or other skin problems
ice creams, yogurts, cakes and other sweets, beer, salad dressings, and in pre-made cookie and cake mixes
FDA regulation covering incidental food additive labeling
allows manufacturer to skip any mention of an additive on the label
stabilizers
thicken foods and increase effect of emulsifiers to prevent ingredients from separating, make food colors brighter and more consistent
stabilizer examples
dressings condiments, low-fat dairy products, spreads like margarine
stabilizer risks
alginic acid- found in ice cream and frozen treats, shown to cause distention of lower intestine, bumpy bladder, renal pelvic calcium deposits in rats
glycerol
stabilizer
plasticizer for edible coatings that surround some meats and cheese; can irritate mouth, lips, mucus membranes
gelatin
from bones and other animal parts, potential source of MSG
pectin
created from fruit, potential source of MSG
sorbate
additive
cooked fish, yogurt, sour cream, fudge, cottage cheese, margarine, mayo, fruit juices, canned fruit, frozen fruit, pie filings, jams, jellies, many dried fruit
benzoate
soda, lemonade, energy drinks, cider, margarine, fruit juices, pickles
sulfite
alcoholic beverages, pickles, olives, salad dressing mixes, wine vinegar, white sugar, shrimp, lobster, scallops, gelatin, jams, jellies, shredded coconut, maraschino cherries, canned veggies, dried soup mixes
nitrite/nitrate
hot dogs, lunchmeat, bacon, ham, smoked fish, processed meat
propionate
baked goods, dried milk, condensed milk, flavored milk, flavored yogurt, canned fish, alcoholic beverages, sports drinks, diet foods, vinegar, mustard
gallate
fats, oils, mayonnaise, shortening, baked foods, dried meat, dried milk
natural additives
not necessarily harmful; often used in gluten free products as extra binders and thickeners, or in response to demand for non chemical additives
do not appear to have any significant health concerns
acacia gum
natural additive
acacia tree; prevent crystallization of sugar and thickener for foods like jellies, gum, and candies
acetic acid
natural additive
wide range of plants and fruits; similar to vinegar; cheeses, baked foods, condiments, pickles
ascorbic acid
natural additive
form of vitamin c; frozen fruits, dry milk, beer, juices, preserves, cooked meat products
ascorbic palmitate
natural additive
ascorbic acid salt; prevents foods from going rancid and is also used to cure meats
agar agar
natural additive
made from seaweed; substitute for gelatin
albumen
natural additive
made from egg whites; emulsifier; don’t eat if allergic to eggs
astragalus gummifier
natural additive
aka tragacanth; gummy resin from astragalus plant; modeling frosting, lozenges, pills
beta glucan
natural additive
oats or barley; soluble fiber found in baked goods, beverages, some thickened dairy products
citric acid
natural additive
sodium citrate; fermenting sugars in citrus fruit; flavoring for tart flavor, acid-alkaline balancer, curing foods
d-alpha tocopherol
natural additive
made from vitamin E; preservative can keep oils from going rancid
guar gum
natural additive
guar beans; frozen fruit, icings, thickener for drinks; binding agent in baked goods, dressings, some dairy products
inulin
natural additive
chicory, function as a binder, emulsifier, stabilizer, texturizer
lactase
natural additive
enzyme that breaks down lactose (milk sugar)
lecithin
natural additive
from eggs, soy, corn
best in organic form
emulsifier in chocolate, baked goods, frozen desserts, vegetable/animal fat products
antioxidant in breakfast cereals, sweets like candy, chocolate, baked goods
papain
natural additive
from papaya, enzyme used to tenderize meat
pectin
natural additive
available from roots, stems, fruits of certain plants, thickener or stabilizer, found in jams, ice creams, frozen desserts
soba
natural additive
another name for buckwheat; often used in pasta products
sorghum
natural additive
grain that process a very sweet syrup often used as a texturized and/or sweetener
xanthan gum
natural additive
corn sugar gum; best in organic form; thickener emulsifier or stabilizer in dairy products or dressings
What are additives used for
preservative chemicals, emulsifiers, stabilizers, flavorings, artificial colors, sweeteners, maintain product consistency, assure some nutritional value, prevent spoilage and contamination, enhance flavor and color
top-three non food items
HFCS, MSG, artificial flavors
HFCS
sweetener, very cheap
contribute to obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, other diseases
MSG
sodium salt, aka free glutamic acid
flavor enhancer
can cause various illnesses-headaches, flushing or sweating, numbness, tingling, burning on face/neck, heart palpitations, chest pain, nausea, weakness
MSG is frequently found in these foods…
salad dressings, sauces, flavored potato chips, seasoning mixes, highly processed foods
Ingredients that always contain MSG
glutamic acid, anything glutamate, anything hydrolyzed, anything autolyzed, yeast extract, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, gelatin, textured protein, “soy protein” anything
Ingredients that frequently contain MSG
carrageenan, bouillon/broth/stock, anything flavors or flavoring, maltodextrin, citric acid/citrate, anything ultra-pasteurized, barley malt, pectin, anything containing enzymes, anything fermented (sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir), anything protein fortified, malt extract, many forms of whey protein, soy sauce, seasonings
Most common food coloring additives
red #40, yellow #5, yellow #6
= 90% of dyes used
contain benzidene, a carcinogen
caramel coloring
a blend of ammonia and sulfites mixed with sugar, or just made of ammonia in beer, soy sauce, balsamic, other dark brown foods
caramel coloring risks
could lead to lung, liver, thyroid cancer
todays food coloring dyes are _______ based
petroleum
coloring and ADD
link between artificial colors and temper tantrums, allergic reactions, poor concentration in children
study showed as many as 50% of kids showed improvement when these were removed from diet
annatto
natural colorant
also boxing or bixaceae
natural color = exempt from regulation, doesn’t have to be directly listed
tropical tree seeds, gives food an orange/yellow appearance
annatto risks
high allergenic potential; IBS, urticartica, asthma, other allergic reactions
annatto foods
commonly found in cheeses, crackers, cereals, could be in artificial color or color added table
cochineal extract
natural colorant
aka carmine
from crushed dried bodies of female costa insects and appears in food and cosmetics
red color
can be listed as cochineal dye, carmine, carminic acid, or natural color
cochineal extract foods
yogurt, cranberry juice, ice cream, some candies
cochineal risks
high allergenic potential; asthma, dermal reactions to lip salve with it, wide variety of allergic reactions
