As awareness about food safety grows around the globe, consumers spend more time reading food labels and trying to decipher some of the unfamiliar names listed as ingredients. Usually, those names belong to food additives, defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as “substances that become part of a food product when added (intentionally or unintentionally) during the processing or production of that food.
Additives are added in small amounts (commonly less than 1%) to maintain or improve important characteristics of the food, such as nutrient value, safety, freshness, consistency, taste, texture, and appearance. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists many different types of food additives that serve specific purposes, such as preservatives, colors, flavors, stabilizers, nutrients, sweeteners, fat replacers, firming agents, enzymes, and others. Here is a brief description of the most common additives found in processed food, classified by their desired function.
– Preservatives:
they prevent or slow food spoilage caused by air, bacteria, fungi or yeast. They maintain the quality and freshness, help control contamination, delay rancidity of fats and prevent enzymatic reactions. Preservatives are mostly used in beverages, fruit jams, baked goods, cured meats, oils and margarine, fruits and vegetables, among others. The most common names found in labels are ascorbic acid, citric acid, sodium benzoate, sodium nitrite, calcium sorbate, BHA, BHT, and EDTA.
– Stabilizers:
they serve a wide variety of functions, such as prevent separation, form emulsions, add thickness, allow smooth mixing of ingredients, control crystallization, etc. Some of these ingredients also give foods the texture and consistency expected by consumers and help maintain the taste and appeal of foods with reduced fat content. Stabilizers are widely used in salad dressings, frozen desserts, dairy products, sauces, and cakes. Generally found in food labels are soy lecithin, polysorbates, gelatin, pectin, carrageenan, and xanthan gum.
– Enhancers:
spices, natural and artificial flavors, salt and sweeteners are added to enhance the taste of food, imparting a taste or aroma. Appearance is maintained or improved by food colors, in the form of dyes, pigments or other coloring substances. Many processed foods include this type of additives, such as candies, soft drinks, jams, snack foods, ice cream, dessert mixes, and fillings. Some well-known enhancers are monosodium glutamate (MSG), hydrolyzed soy protein, sucrose (sugar), fructose, sorbitol, corn syrup, aspartame, sucralose, Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Red No. 40, Blue No. 1, annatto extract, carmine, saffron, and caramel color.
– Nutrients:
vitamins, minerals, and fiber are added to enhance the nutritional quality of food, to make up for nutrients lost in processing (enrichment) or to add nutrients that may be lacking in the diet (fortification). In an effort to reduce malnutrition, these additives have been added to flour, bread, cereal, rice, salt, milk, fruit beverages, energy bars, etc. Some common names include thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, niacin, niacinamide, folic acid, potassium iodide, ascorbic acid, vitamin D and amino acids.
Food additives are approved and regulated by the FDA, considering the properties of the substance, the amount to be ingested, health effects and safety factors. After scientifically determining that there is no harm to consumers when the additive is used as proposed, the FDA approves it. Regulations are issued regarding the types of food in which it can be used, the maximum permitted amount and proper label identification. There are also ingredients listed as generally recognized as safe (GRAS), including sugar, salt, and vinegar.
Although the words “food additive” have modern-day connotations, these ingredients have been used for centuries, to preserve or improve foods. This has helped reduce nutritional deficiencies among consumers and ensure the availability of safe, tasty and affordable food, all year round. Food additives are regulated and reviewed continuously by federal agencies, in order to let consumers feel safe about the food they eat.
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It is surprising to see this on Cathe’s blog. I have been involved in healthcare, food and environmental toxics for years, and the FDA does not effectively regulate these substances. Many of them are approved without legitimate unbiased testing of adverse human health effects. Many of them are genetically modified, especially soy, soy derivatives, and corn (think high fructose corn syrup). This article seems to support eating processed foods, which runs counter to the whole foods mantra I thought Cathe espoused.
I, too, am disappointed to see this article on a blog promoting health! There is scientific evidence showing the dangers of so many of these products. They can cause everything from cancer to neurological problems when consumed over time. I never buy foods with “natural flavors” and pretty much avoid everything mentioned in the article. It is up to me to protect the health of my children and myself, because the FDA is not always looking out for the public.
I think it’s helpful to know what categories of substance some of these things fall into—I would have no idea what xanthan gum was in a food to do. However, I would have liked to see more info—which should be avoided, results of studies of their effects, etc. I want to avoid most of these, but it seems virtually impossible to avoid them all–so I’d like to know which to focus on.
We’re not endorsing food additives and that is not the purpose of this article. The article’s point is to make people aware of what these additives are and what they do. You can then make your own decision on whether or not you eat foods that contain them. Most people understand the difference between processed and whole foods, but few really know what the different additive categories do – hence the reason for the article.
This article is informative but only states the purpose of food additives from a manufacturer’s point of view. It absolutely does not explain what it does to your health. For example, it tells you that preseveratives prevent food spoilage. It doesn’t tell you that sodium nitrate causes cancer.
The article is informative. CatheDotCom cannot state whether or not you should or shouldnt be consuming these things…remember Oprah & the beef? Its bad for you!!!! CathyDotCom is making you aware of these things, so that we can make our own more informed decisions. Not everyone knows what all these words are when looking at ingredients. Its good that its here. Its listing many of the ingredients that are NOT good for you. We have to remember that CathyDotCom CANNOT state whether something should or shouldnt be consumed. However, it can be put out here to educate us so that we can make better choices.