Food Additives Flashcards
Define food additives
Substances intentionally added to food to improve colour, flavour, keeping quality, nutritive value or texture
Why do we use food additives
Smoother texture
Enhance/preserve nutritive value
Prolong shelf life
Help with processing/preparation
Enhance flavour/taste of food
Enhance appearance/colour of food
Additives for smoother texture
Emulsifiers prevent separation
Stabilisers and thickeners give smooth texture
Anti-caking agents ensure a substance flows freely
Additives to enhance/preserve a products nutritional value
Vinegar - preserve pickles
Salt - preserve meat/fish
Sugar - preserve fruit
Fortified foods like margarine
Additives to prolong shelf life of foods
Preservatives prevent microbial growth
Antioxidants in baked goods prevent rancidity
Additives prevent fruit from going brown
Additives to help with processing/preparation of food
Raising agents with alkali and acid produce bubbles - help product rise
Additives change the acid balance - correct flavour/colour
Additives to enhance taste/flavour of foods
Herbs and spices
Additives to enhance the appearance/colour of food
Colourants enhance the appearance of food
Make more appetizing
Safety and human health concerns of food additives
Researched and monitored by Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972
Additives tested before human consumption
Toxic effects are investigated
Long-term effects are researched
No harm level is used
Safety controls are performed
Once approved it is added to ‘permitted food additives’ list
Food manufacturers must prove their products are safe
Additives have been linked to which diseases
Cancer
Digestive disorders
Nervous disorders
ADHD
Heart diseases
Obesity
Allergies
Allergic reactions to food additives include
Respiratory problems
Asthma (sulphites/benzoates)
Skin conditions
Swelling, hives, rashes (tartrazine)
Nervous disorders
Hyperactivity/insomnia (MSG)
Nutrient benefits of additives
- Improve population nutritional status (RDI)
- Additives like ascorbic acid (Vit C) are antioxidants/preservatives
Emulsifiers (Food Additives)
Mix immiscible substances
Prevent separation
Consistent texture
Examples: Lecithin, egg yolk
Used in: Margarine, ice cream, mayonnaise
Stabilisers (Food Additives)
Maintain uniform dispersion
Two or more immiscible substances
Even texture
Examples: Gelatine, pectin
Bleaches/colourants (Food Additives)
Bleaches whiten food
Delay colour loss
Correct natural variations
Tartrazine must be labelled clearly
Others: E numbers
Chemical preservatives (Food Additives)
Prevent microbial growth
Have antioxidant property - wine/fermented foods
Sulfur dioxide/sulphites - prevent colour change in dried fruit/vegetables
Calcium propionate - prevent mould growth in baked goods
Nitrates in processed meats - carcinogenic links
Benzoates - fruit juice
Antioxidants (Food Additives)
Antioxidants prevent oxidation
Fruits, fruit juices, natural fats/oils - go brown or rancid
Tocopherol (Vit E) - edible fats, salad dressing, vegetable oils from becoming rancid
Ascorbic acid (Vit C) and citric acid - preserve colour of fresh cut fruit and vegetables
Additives to improve taste
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) - savoury products and oriental food
Glutamic acid - high protein foods
Glutamate - tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms
Citric acid - natural preservative, sour taste
Chemical flavouring is cheaper than natural flavours
Sweetners (Food Additives)
Sugar - sucrose, glucose, fructose
Corn syrup - salad dressings
Artifical sweetners - aspartame/saccharine (diabetics)
Mannitol/Sorbitol - energy, used in sweets and gum
Consumer issues regarding food additives
Responsibility to make informed choices
Avoid if adverse effects are experienced
Read labels
Avoid food with lots of additives
Question if food is safe
Tuckshops (Food Additives)
Obesity and deficiency diseases on the rise
Need nutrients for growth
Should eat nutritious food at school
High fat and carbohydrate content in food offered
Children need to be educated about nutrition
Energy drinks (Food Additives)
Contain:
Caffeine
Sugar
I-carnitine, and taurine (amino acids)
Antioxidants
Sodium benzoate (preservative)
Ginseng (herbal extract)
Creatine
Colourings
Chewing gum (Food Additives)
Made from latex sap, sapodilla tree
Synthetic rubber
Corn syrup and aspartame
Flavourings
Glycerine/vegetable oil
Potato chips (Food Additives)
Flavourings like MSG
Spices
Sweetner
Hebs
Cheese
Citric acid
Trans fats and sodium
Acrylamide - cancer causing
