Food Additives Flashcards
What are food additives?
Substances that are intentionally added to a food during processing to improve the colour, flavour, texture.
What are the EU regulations regarding food additives?
Cannot reduce the nutrient content of a food, cannot deceive the consumer, cannot be a health hazard, and must be used in the smallest quantity.
What are the advantages of food additives?
Increases shelf life, makes foods more appetizing, improves nutritional value, and improves texture.
What are the disadvantages of food additives?
Bulking agents deceive consumers, destroys nutrients, and can cause health hazards.
What are the classifications of food additives?
Colourings, preservatives, flavourings, flavour enhancers, sweeteners, antioxidants, and nutritive additives.
What are natural food additives?
Naturally occur in plants or animals, such as green colouring made in chlorophyll of plants.
What are artificial food additives?
Made in a lab, such as ascorbic acid, which is synthetic vitamin C.
What are E Numbers?
Reference numbers given to food additives that have passed safety tests and are approved to be used by the EU.
What is the purpose of colourings?
Improve colour of food, give colourless foods a colour, satisfy consumer expectations, and replace colours lost during processing.
What are the classifications of colourings?
Natural colourings, such as chlorophyll, and artificial colourings, such as tartrazine.
What is the purpose of preservatives?
Prevents microbes from growing, increases shelf life, and provides foods out of season all year.
What are the classifications of preservatives?
Natural preservatives, such as sugar from sugar beet, and artificial preservatives, such as sulphur dioxide.
What is the purpose of antioxidants?
Stops rancidity and reduces food waste.
What are the classifications of antioxidants?
Natural antioxidants, such as vitamin C, and artificial antioxidants, such as BHT.
What are physical conditioning agents?
Emulsifiers, stabilizers, pectin, anti-cake agents, and humectants.
What is an emulsifier?
Used to allow two immiscible liquids to combine, such as oil and water.
What is a stabilizer?
Used to maintain emulsions, such as in ice cream.
What is an anti-cake agent?
Prevents lumps from forming in dried foods.
What are humectants?
Prevent cakes from drying out by absorbing water.
What is pectin?
Used as a setting agent to set jam.
What is the purpose of flavourings?
Improve flavour of food, replace flavours lost during processing, and enhance flavours.
What are the classifications of flavourings?
Natural flavourings, such as sugar, and artificial flavourings, such as aldehydes.
What is the purpose of flavouring enhancers?
Enhance flavours of food and reduce flavours in foods.
What is an example of a flavouring enhancer?
MSG, which can enhance flavours but may cause health issues.
