Module 12: Food Additives

Question 1

Any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result directly or indirectly in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food

Answer 1

Food additives

Question 2

True or False: The US FDA defines food additives as a substance or a mixture of substances, other than the basic food stuff, which is present in food as a result of any aspect of production, processing storage or packaging

Answer 2

False; The Food Protection Committee, US National Research Council (1958)

Question 3

True or False: Food additives always have nutritive value.

Answer 3

False; Food additives may or may not have nutritive value.

Question 4

Food additives may be categorized as ___ and ___

Answer 4

Intentional and Incidental

Question 5

True or False: Phil FDA defines food additives as any substance normally consumed as a food by itself but not normally used as a typical ingredient of food. It may or may not have nutritive value, may or may not be intentionally added, and eventually becomes a component of the food.

Answer 5

False: It is NOT NORMALLY CONSUMED as a food by itself.

Question 6

The type of food additive that is properly added in precise amounts

Answer 6

Intentional or Direct Food Additive

Question 7

It is the type of food additive that has no specific function and is usually incorporated in the food while passing the production line.

Answer 7

Incidental or Indirect Food Additive

Question 8

Give the 5 Purposes of Food Additives provided in the lecture

Answer 8

1. Maintenance of nutritional quality of the food
2. Enhancement of keeping quality or stability of the food
3. Reducing food waste
4. Making food attractive to consumers in a manner which precludes deception
5. Aids in processing

Question 9

T or F: Use of preservatives is permitted when desired effect could not be attained by the manufacturing process

Answer 9

True

BUT if the desired effect COULD BE ATTAINED by the manufacturing process, use of preservatives is NOT PERMITTED

Question 10

What does the acronym GRAS/E stand for?

Answer 10

Generally Recognized As Safe/Effective

Question 11

What does it mean when a food additive is considered GRAS/E?

Answer 11

It does not require further approval to enter the marketplace.

Question 12

Who regulates GRAS/E additives? What about the rest of the food additives?

Answer 12

All food additives are regulated by the Codex Alimentarius

Question 13

Which specific committee of the codex alimentarius are in charge of food additives?

Answer 13

JECFA

Question 14

What does JEFAC stand for?

Answer 14

Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

Question 15

True or False: Additives are preservatives.

Answer 15

False; Preservatives are a type of food additive thus, not all additives are preservatives. Consequently, all preservatives are additives.

Question 16

Give the Functional Classes of Food Additives (Good luck teh, kaya mue yarn)

Answer 16

Acidity regulator
Anticaking agent
Antifoaming agent
Antioxidant
Bleaching agent
Bulking agent
Carbonating agent
Carrier
Color
Color retention agent
Emulsifier
Emulsifying salt
Firming agent
Flavor enhancer

Flour treatment agent
Foaming agent
Gelling agent
Glazing agent
Humectant
Packaging gas
Preservative
Propellant
Raising agent
Sequestrant
Stabilizer
Sweetener
Thickener

(If you got them all, PERFECT KA SIS! If not, oki lang baka di naman lumabas sa exam :”> BWAHAHA)

Question 17

What are the benefits of food additives?

Answer 17

1. Increase safety and overall value of food
2. Allows production of out- of-season foods
3. Allows a variety of food products
4. Reduce over-all price of foods

(to help you remember: RAIA - Reduce price, Allow prod, Increase safety, Allow variety)

Question 18

What are the risks of additives?

Answer 18

Indirect risks
– Increased availability of food products with a low density of nutrients
– Potential direct toxicological effects (hypersensitivity, cancer and reproductive problems)

(InPo - Increased availability, Potential toxicological effects)

Question 19

It is an independent scientific committee which performs risk assessments [of food additives] and provides advice to FAO, WHO and the member countries of both organizations

Answer 19

JECFA

Question 20

What is the accepted daily intake for nitrite according to the JEFAC?

Answer 20

0-0.7 mg/kg BW

Question 21

What is the accepted daily intake for nitrate according to the JEFAC?

Answer 21

0-3.7 mg/kg BW

Question 22

What organization is in charge of import refusal reports?

Answer 22

The US FDA

Question 23

It sets forth the conditions under which permitted food additives may be used in all foods, whether or not they have previously been standardized by Codex

Answer 23

Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA)

Question 24

True or False: Only food additives that have been assigned an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) or determined, on the basis of other criteria, to be safe by the JECFA and an International Numbering System (INS) designation by Codex were considered for inclusion in the Codex GSFA

Answer 24

True

Question 25

T or F: The ADI for aspartame is 0-30 mg/kg BW

Answer 25

False: 0-40 mg/kg BW

Question 26

The latest study of the JECFA states that the ADI for stevia is 0-4 mg/kg BW

Answer 26

False: The 2019 evaluation conducted by JECFA determined no safety issues with the use of stevia as food additives