Without food ingredients and additives, the food we eat would look and taste very different from today – and many of the products we take for granted wouldn’t exist. Food additives can be found in a range of foods – including organic products – and some are naturally occurring. our bodies naturally create 20 different E number compounds, regardless of whether or not they’re in the food we eat.
What are the role of food additives?
There are good reasons for using food additives. They can be used to:
First,improve the keeping stability or quality of foods. For example, sorbitol – humectant (420) – may be added to mixed dried fruit to maintain softness and the moisture level of the fruit.
Then second, Preserve food when this is the most practical way of extending its storage life. For example, sulphur dioxide – preservative (220) – is added to some meat products such as sausage meat to limit microbial growth.
And the third, Improve the taste or appearance of a processed food. For example, beeswax – glazing agent (901) may be used to coat apples to improve their appearance.
Main Functions For Food Additives :
I. Restraint the acidity and alkalinity and provide leavening
Specific additives help change the acid base balance of foods to obtain a desired taste, color, or flavor. Leavening agents that release acids when they are heated react with bicarbonate of soda to help biscuits, cakes, and other baked goods rise.
II. Maintain product consistency
Substances called emulsifiers provide a consistent texture and prevent products from separating. Stabilizers and thickeners provide an even texture. Anticaking agents allow substances to flow freely.
III. Improve or preserve the nutrient value
Many foods and drinks are fortified and enriched to increase the nutritional status of the Us population. For instance, vitamins and minerals are added to many foods including flour, cereal, margarine, and milk. This helps to consist of for vitamins or minerals that may be low or completely short of a person’s diet. All products that contain added nutrients must be labeled.
IV. Provide color and enhance flavor
Certain colors improve the appearance of foods. There are many spices and natural and synthetic flavors that bring out the best in the flavor of food.
V. Maintain the wholesomeness of foods
Contamination from bacteria can allow foodborne illnesses to occur. Preservatives reduce the spoilage that air, fungi, bacteria, or yeast can cause. Certain preservatives help preserve the flavor in baked goods by preventing the fats and oils from going bad. They also keep fresh fruits from turning brown when exposed to the air.
Suggestions For Us
All food additives in the UK and Europe are at the mercy of law, and can only be used following stringent tests and approval by some other committee of scientists and medical experts.
However, some scientists have linked additives generally use, particularly tartrazine or E102 to : Hyperactivity in children, Allergies, Asthma, Migraines, Cancer.
For instance, several studies, such as one in The Lancet in 2007, have now been published which show additives as well as colourings or benzoate of soda can adversely affect the behavior of children aged between three and nine years old.
But the topic remains under lively debate. The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) believes more research is needed before any firm link is established between additives and allergy. But it does n’t rule out the possibility.
According to the CSPI many additives should be avoided for health grounds, but not all UK experts agree with this.
If youre worried that a particular additive may be causing your symptoms then it may be worth trying an elimination diet, where you remove that substance completely from your diet and see if the symptoms get better. If symptoms then return when you start eating foods containing the additive again, it may be contributing to your problems and may be best avoided.
If problems persist, or youre worried about symptoms your child is having (elimination diets should only be done under supervision in children), ask you GP if you can seek the advice of a dietician you may have to wait some time as services are very limited.
WANT TO READ MORE:How Many Food Additives Do You Know
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