Food Additives

Question 1

When are additives justified?

Answer 1

If they enhance the quality/acceptability of the food

Question 2

What is GRAS status?

Answer 2

“Generally recognized as safe” status put by fda

Question 3

What are effects of MSG?

Answer 3

causes tightening of muscles of head and neck, headache, nausea, giddiness

Question 4

What is an example of a dye that is not approved in Canada/Europe?

Answer 4

red dye No. 2

Question 5

Which colouring has shown allergic reactions?

Answer 5

Tartrazine - yellow colouring

Question 6

What do preservatives do?

Answer 6

preserve quality of food - needed to transport food

Question 7

What is an example of an antibacterial preservative?

Answer 7

sodium chloride - age-old method usually coupled with smoking/drying

Question 8

What is the problem with the sodium chloride antibacterial preservative?

Answer 8

problem with excess sodium in CV or renal disease

Question 9

What is an example of an antibacterial and antifungal preservative?

Answer 9

sodium benzoate - used in small amounts, not toxic because easily biotransformed and eliminated

Question 10

What are parabens?

Answer 10

a preservative - similar to sodium benzoate, major antibacterial/antifungal used

Question 11

What is propionic acid?

Answer 11

a preservative - best at lower pH, non-toxic b/c is part of normal metabolism

Question 12

Why is sugar a preservative?

Answer 12

high sugar content slows bacterial growth by osmotic forces - toxicity not major problem, but certain members cannot tolerate sugar

Question 13

What are adverse effects of nitrate?

Answer 13

headache, decreased blood pressure, and methemoglobin formation (…)

Question 14

What do nitrates inhibit and how is this a good thing?

Answer 14

inhibits clostridium botulinum = no toxin

Question 15

What is nitrosomyglobin?

Answer 15

nitrates impart colour - NO2 + myoglobin = nitrosomyglobin (red colour)

Question 16

What do nitrates form when the food is cooked?

Answer 16

nitrosamine - carcinogen

Question 17

What is sulphur dioxide? What does it do?

Answer 17

is a preservative - prevents mould formation in wine/beer

Question 18

What is a possible toxicity of sulphur dioxide?

Answer 18

SO2 toxicity, related to vitamin B1 deficiency

Question 19

What are facts/advantages to water soluble antioxidants?

Answer 19

prevent oxidation (browning) of carbohydrates in food
use ascorbic acid/citric acid
no toxicity unless in very large amounts

Question 20

What are facts/advantages to lipid soluble antioxidants?

Answer 20

butylated hyroxytoluene
these agents are free radical scavengers - prevent oxidation of fat
used at 0.01% - no toxicity

Question 21

What occurs at 0.2% of diet of antioxidants?

Answer 21

fatty liver, impairment of growth, hepototoxicity

Question 22

What is another antioxidant that is less effective?

Answer 22

vitamin E

Question 23

What are sequesterants

Answer 23

agents added to bind metals - metals enhance oxidation of fats - leads to rancidity - thus try to remove metals w/ EDTA or citrates

Question 24

Which sweetener is restricted/why?

Answer 24

Saccharin - rats fed saccharin in diet developed bladder tumours therefore restricted

Question 25

What is aspartame?

Answer 25

dipeptide - largely replaced cyclamates and saccharin

relatively non-toxic except in phenylketonuria - cannot metabolize phenylalanine - do not use