WHAT ARE FOOD ADDITIVES TYPES OF FOOD ADDITIVES HARMFUL EFFECTS OF FOOD ADDITIVES SUBSTITUTE METHODS 10 ITEMS OF DAY

TO DAY CONSUMPTION FOOD ADDITIVES PRESENT HARMS CAUSED HUMAN BODY DIAGRAM SUBSTITUTES FOR FOOD ADDITIVES PICTURE GALLERY 10 ITEMS- KETCHUP, JAM, CHOCOLATES, MENTOS, CHIPS, ENO, BICUIT, TOFFEE, SWEETS, JELLY

Food Additives I INTRODUCTION Food Additives, compounds not generally regarded as foods that are added to foods as an aid to processing or manufacture, or to improve the keeping qualities, flavour, colour, texture, appearance, or stability of the food, or as a convenience to the consumer. Vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients added to fortify or enrich the food are generally excluded from the definition of additives, as are herbs, spices, salt, and yeast or protein hydrolysates used to enhance the flavour. Additives may be extracted from natural sources, synthesized in the laboratory so as to be chemically the same as naturally occurring compounds (and hence known as nature identical), or they may be synthetic compounds that do not occur in nature. In most countries, only compounds that have been tested exhaustively for safety, and are included in a list of permitted additives, may be used in food manufacture. They must be declared on the label by class of compound, name, and/or number in the permitted list. While most additives may be used wherever there is a need, the use of some compounds is restricted to specified foods. Where laboratory testing has shown that high intakes of an additive have an adverse effect (in experiments on animals), the amount that may be used is controlled by law, so as to ensure that the total intake from all foods in a daily diet is within a safe range. This Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is usually one-hundredth of the highest dose that has no detectable effect in laboratory tests. Compounds for which no adverse effects can be detected, even using extremely high levels of intake, are classified as ADI not determined, and may be used without any limitation, although the intensity of colour and flavour will usually limit the amount that is used. Additives are classified by their function, as detailed below. II COLOURS

A range of organic compounds, some synthetic chemicals, and other naturally occurring plant pigments, including chlorophyll,

carotenoids, and anthocyanins may be added to foods to enhance the colour. Some mineral salts are also used as colours; salts of calcium and iron may enhance the nutritional value of the food as well as its colour. III PRESERVATIVES

Preservatives are used to protect foods against the growth of micro-organisms that might cause spoilage or food poisoning, and so increase the safe storage life of the product. Such compounds include sorbic and benzoic acids and their salts, sulphur dioxide and its salts, as well as nitrites and nitrates used in pickling salts. In addition, a variety of naturally occurring organic acids, including acetic, propionic, malic, and fumaric acids and their salts, are used both as flavours and to control the acidity of foods, as well as having useful antimicrobial action. Other compounds, including biphenyl and its derivatives, are used only on the skins of citrus and other fruits to minimize bacterial or fungal attack. IV ANTIOXIDANTS

These are used to prevent rancidity in fatty foods and to protect the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) against damage by oxidation. Synthetic antioxidants include esters of gallic acid, butylated hydroxytoluene, and butylated hydroxyanisole. Vitamins C and E are also commonly used as antioxidants; they obviously enhance the nutritional value of the food to which they are added; indeed, there is some evidence that synthetic antioxidants used in food manufacture also have useful antioxidant action in the body. V ACIDITY REGULATORS

Alkalis, including sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium hydroxides, may be used to neutralize excess acidity (sourness) in foods. Acids and their salts are used both as flavourings, and also to control the pH of foods. Some, including acetic acid (vinegar), lactic acid (formed in soured or fermented milk), propionic, malic, and fumaric acids, also have valuable antimicrobial action, and may, in addition, be classified as preservatives. Others, including ascorbic (vitamin C), citric, tartaric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, and sulphuric acids and their salts, as well as

carbon dioxide and carbonates or bicarbonates may be used either as buffers or for special purposes, including acting as emulsifying agents, raising agents, or anticaking agents. VI EMULSIFIERS AND STABILIZERS

Additives in this group are used to enable oils and fats to mix with water and to form smooth emulsions (for example margarine and mayonnaise), to give a smooth creamy texture to foods, and to slow the staling of baked goods. Many are also used to form jellies. A variety of plant gums, including alginates, agar, guar gum, and carob gum, may make a useful contribution to the intake of nonstarch polysaccharide (dietary fibre), as may pectins and the various cellulose derivatives that are widely used. Other emulsifying agents include lecithin and a variety of salts and esters of fatty acids. VII ANTICAKING AGENTS

Anticaking agents are used to ensure that powders such as flour or salt remain free-flowing; compounds that are used include bone meal (which is also used for enrichment of flour with calcium), polyphosphates, silicates, stearates, and gluconates. VIII FLAVOURING AGENTS

These include sweeteners, some of the acids listed above, natural extracts of fruits and herbs, and synthetic compounds designed to mimic natural flavours. In addition, a number of compounds are used to enhance the flavour of foods, without giving any particular flavour of their own; such compounds include glutamic acid and its salts (especially monosodium glutamate), and nucleic acid derivatives.

What kinds of preservatives are harmful to eat regularly for adults and children?
Canada

In general preservatives are not bad for your health. They improve food safety and this is the reason why legislators have authorized their use. Preservatives limit, retard or arrest the growth of microorganisms (e.g. bacteria, yeast, fungi, mould) that are present in or gain entry to the food, preventing spoilage or toxicity. They are used in baked foods, wine, cheese, cured meats, fruit juices and margarine among others. Examples include: Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (E220-228) - help to prevent colour changes in dried fruits and vegetables. Sulphites also inhibit the growth of bacteria in wine and fermented foods, some snack foods and baked goods. Sulphites have also antioxidant properties. Calcium propionate (E282) - prevents bread and baked foods from turning mouldy. Nitrates and nitrites (sodium and potassium salts) (E249252) - are used as a preservative in processed meats such as ham and frankfurters to keep the products safe by preventing the growth of botulinum bacteria.

Preservatives are categorised as food additives. In many peoples minds all additives are harmful chemicals, but despite their modernday associations, food additives have been used for centuries. The preservation of food has been a necessity throughout the ages. Salt, saltpetre (potassium nitrate) and smoke were used to preserve meat, and vinegar to pickle vegetables. Without preservatives our food would be not be as safe as it is today. For example, sulphites help prevent colour changes in dried fruits and vegetables and inhibit bacterial growth in wine, fermented foods, some snack foods and baked goods. Sulphites also have antioxidant properties. Today, food additives are strictly regulated and go through an authorisation procedure. Authorised food additives are clearly defined substances which have to fulfil strict purity criteria and maximum

levels are fixed to protect the consumer. Above all there must be a technological need for their use and a clear benefit to the consumer. The use of food additives is harmonised across the EU, and all approved additives are given an E number. Each has a specific name and number and their use is limited to particular foods. Permitted food additives are broadly classified into several categories according to the functions they perform. The main uses of additives in foods are to: Ensure safety and wholesomeness Increase shelf-life Amplify or promote sensory qualities (improving texture or consistency; enhance consumer acceptability; assist in food processing, etc) Improve or maintain nutritional value

All food additives must have not only a demonstrated useful purpose but also a thorough and rigorous scientific safety evaluation before they can be approved for use. Since 2003 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is responsible for the evaluation of additives, not anymore the detached EU Scientific Committee on Food (SCF). The Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (Panel AFC) is advising them, too. Safety assessment of food additives is based on reviews of all available toxicological data, including observations in humans and in animal models. From the available data, a maximum level of an additive that has no demonstrable toxic effect is determined. This is called the noobserved-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) and is used to determine the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) figure for each food additive. The NOAEL is expressed in milligrams of the additive per kilogram of bodyweight per day (mg/kg bodyweight/day). The NOAEL is then divided by a safety factor, usually 100, which results in a large margin of safety for two main reasons: First, the NOAEL is determined in animals, not humans. It is therefore prudent to adjust for possible differences by assuming that man is more sensitive than the most sensitive test animal. Secondly, the reliability of toxicity tests is limited by the number of animals tested. Such tests cannot represent the diversity of the human population, subgroups of which may show different sensitivities (e.g. children, the old and the ill). Again, it is prudent to adjust for these differences.

The ADI provides a large margin of safety and refers to the amount of a food additive that can be taken daily in the diet, over a lifetime span, without any negative effect on health. The ADI is compared with "average" and "extreme" consumption estimates in the population as whole or in particular subgroups of the population. Provided that intakes for average and extreme consumers are within the ADI, it is unlikely that any harm will result because the ADI is based on a no-observed adverse effect level, to which a large safety margin has been applied. To ensure that consumers are not exceeding the ADI by consuming too much or too many products containing a particular additive, EU legislation requires that intake studies be carried out to assess any changes in intake patterns European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Harmful Food Additive: Side Effect of Food Additives

Food additives are everywhere on the supermarket shelf. Savvy shoppers seeking to eat conveniently, yet as healthfully as possible, need to learn how to read labels to steer clear of potential dietary pitfalls. Even though all of these have been deemed safe to enter the edible realm, many of these everyday chemical compounds take their toll on the body's natural balance.

Check labels for:

1. Artificial Food Colors
Some of these coloring agents are allergenic and, even worse, some have carcinogenic properties. Some artificial food colors are suspected of contributing to hyperactivity, allergies, asthma, learning problems, and concentration difficulties in children and adults. Specific foods to avoid include colored drinks, color-coated candies, gummy and chewy candies, and many colored cereals. Be especially aware of additives when using vending machines.

2. Nitrites and Nitrates

Nitrites and nitrates can develop into nitrosamines in the body, which can be carcinogenic. They are often found in preserved meats, including bacon, hot dogs, bologna, and salami.

3. Sulfites
Sulfites include sulfur dioxide in fruits, sulfites in grapes and wine, and metabisulfites in other foods, and they sometimes cause allergic reactions. or headaches, nausea, and diarrhea. Anyone suffering from allergies or asthma should minimize or avoid sulfited foods.

4. Sugar
Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are a frequent additditve, and its overuse can lead to numerous health issues including elevated blood sugar, hypoglycemia, hyperactivity, yeast problems (candida), excessive food cravings, and increased triglycerides (blood fats). Sugar and sweeteners also contribute empty calories toward obesity, dental cavities, and diabetes.

5. Artificial Sweeteners
Saccharin has been linked with cancer in laboratory animals, but its widespread use is on the decline. Still, other synthetic sweeteners like Aspartame, and acesulfame-K are widely used in soft drinks, candies, chewing gum and a variety of other products. Two research studies found aspartame to have caused brain tumors in lab animals, and it should be avoided by pregnant women and children under seven. Another sweetener, sucralose, sold under the brand name Splenda, has had very little long term research.

6. Preservatives
Preservatives such as BHA, BHT and EDTA are used in small quantities in grain products like cereal, soup bases, and other foods containing oil to prevent rancidity. These are potentially toxic to the liver and kidneys, and they've been known to cause allergic reactions and neurotoxic effects. Children can be especially sensitive to preservatives and they may cause behavioral changes and hyperactivity. Interestingly, BHT is prohibited as a food additive in the UK.

7. Artificial Flavors
Artificial flavors represent the largest number of food additives. Most of the food products with artificial flavor additives are highly processed. Both adults and children may exhibit allergic reactions and other health issues from these chemical flavorings.

8. Olestra
Olestra is a synthesized fat substitute first used in potato chips. It's a non-absorbable oil polymer, thus it's not metabolized by the body. Certain consumers have reported digestive and other problems from Olestra consumption, including diarrhea and abdominal cramping.

9. Salt
Salt or sodium chloride is used by our bodies to maintain proper electrical conductivity within the cells and a variety of other essential functions. But eating too much salt can lead to fluid retention and increased blood pressure.

10. Food packaging

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a known carcinogen, and it's often used as plastic food wrap. Many grocery stores seal meats and other foods in PVC wrap; a particularly dangerous practice for warm or fatty foods, both of which help release the PVC into the food.

people have tinkered with ways to preserve and enhance food. Food was fragile, delicate, prone to rot, and easily injured. Bugs infested it, bacteria invaded it, mold infected it, and the air made it rancid. Something had to be added to protect food and perhaps make it tastier, too. So the ancient Romans used sulfites to disinfect wine containers and help preserve the wine. Europeans in the 13th and 14th centuries embraced Marco Polo because he brought back spices from the Orient to season their bland diet. Travelers to the New World stored meat in salt to preserve it during their long voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Later, pioneers in America used saltpeter to preserve their meat.

Since the time when the kitchen stove was a campfire outside a cave,

"Without food additives, we'd live like the caveman," says Richard Ronk, acting director of FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Additives prolong the life of food, keep it from spoiling, add flavor, and help prevent disease. Without food additives bread would easily mold, cake wouldn't rise, salt would lump, ice cream would separate into ice crystals, and marshmallows would harden into bite-sized rocks. Former generations could add just about anything they wanted to food - as long as it didn't poison someone. But increasing knowledge about food science and the possible long-term harmful effects of food chemicals on health led Congress in 1958 to enact the Food Additives Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ensure the safety of additives. In 1960 the Color Additive Amendments were enacted to make sure colorings used in foods (drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics, as well) were safe. For purposes of FDA regulations, chemicals added to foods - other than pesticides and animal drugs - fall into four categories:

food additives, generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substances, prior-sanctioned substances, and color additives

These finely drawn legal categories were set up to ensure appropriate safety reviews of food additives. Depending on what category an ingredient falls in, different regulatory requirements apply. The "toughest" category - in terms of regulations and safety testing is the food additive category. This covers substances that have no proven track record of safety; scientists just don't know that much about them. Additives such as the artificial sweetener aspartame and the emulsifying agent polysorbate 60, which is found in salad dressing and other food, were substances that needed to be tested before they could be used because it was not known whether they were safe. Subsequent testing proved them safe. But what is "safe?"

"Congress has defined safety as a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from use of an additive," says Gerad McCowin, director of FDA's division of food and color additives. "In our evaluation we examine to see whether the additive has any toxic effects, whether it may cause birth defects. Does it interfere with nutrition? Does it affect individuals with allergies?" When an additive is tested, it is usually fed in large doses over an extended period to at least two kinds of animals. These feeding studies, usually done by or for a food company that wants to use or sell the additive, are designed to determine whether the substance causes cancer, birth defects, or other injury to the animals. Cancer is of particular concern. A special provision of the 1958 and 1960 additive amendments, the so-called Delaney clause, states that if an additive is found to cause cancer in humans or animals it may not be added to food. The company submits the results of all these tests to FDA for review. If the FDA review finds that the additive is safe, the agency establishes regulations for how it can be used in food. This commonly includes a 100-fold margin of safety. This means that the substance may be used in food at a level that is no more than 1/100th of the highest level at which it was fed to test animals and did not produce any harmful effects. The second group of substances is known as GRAS, an acronym for substances "generally recognized as safe." This group includes several hundred substances whose use in food experts consider safe based either on a history of safe use before 1958 or on published scientific evidence. Congress established the GRAS category in 1958 because it felt that it was unnecessary to require industry to develop evidence to prove the safety of substances that were already generally regarded as safe by knowledgeable scientists. Included are many spices and herbs, salt, sugar, and vitamins that "logic and commonsense," in the words of one expert, tell us are safe to use. "These are substances that are so widely known and the information about them is so widely distributed in the scientific community, that there is little question about their safety," says Dr. George Pauli, a consumer safety officer with FDA's division of food and color additives.

The third category - "prior-sanctioned" substances - include ingredients such as the preservative nitrite (used in meat) that had been sanctioned before the 1958 amendment by either FDA or the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be used in a specific food. For example, while nitrites can be used in meat, they cannot be used on vegetables because vegetables were not covered by the pre-1958 sanction. Inclusion in either of the latter two categories - GRAS and prior sanctioned - does not guarantee a substance's safety: sometimes new evidence shows that "logic and commonsense" erred. If new data suggested that a GRAS or prior-sanctioned substance may be unsafe, then FDA requires the manufacturer to conduct studies to ascertain the ingredient's safety. For example, the artificial sweeteners saccharin and cyclamates are substances that were once included on the GRAS list but came under fire several years ago because of new evidence that they may cause cancer in animals. Based on this evidence they were removed from the GRAS list; in fact, cyclamates were banned from use in food altogether. (Saccharin continues to be used because Congress granted it a special exemption.) The Color Additive Amendments subject substances in the fourth category - dyes used in foods, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices to pre-market testing similar to that required for the first category food additives. Colors in use when the amendments were passed were placed on a provisional approval list pending further investigation to confirm their safety. Nearly 200 colors were on the provisional approval list in 1960. Since the passage of the amendment, several of the colors have been dropped because manufacturers were no longer interested in marketing them or because they were found to be unsafe. Food additives may also be present in food packages. Known as indirect additives, they can end up in food so FDA requires that they be evaluated. The ubiquitous presence of additives in nearly all our foods adds up to big business. The food additive industry generates approximately $10 billion a year in business, according to Dr. Richard Hall, a former vice president with McCormick Spices.

But it is the safety of food additives that remains a key concern for FDA. The agency must be sure that the new sweeteners, emulsifiers, preservatives, dyes and other substances that food chemists concoct to add to our modern-day diet measure up to safety standards appropriate to the 1980's, not the Stone Age. [INSERT PICTURES/CAPTIONS FOR "ASPARTAME", "SALT", "NITRITES", AND "ARTIFICIAL DYES"] REPORTING REACTIONS TO ADDITIVES by Judy Folkenberg Some bodies just don't like certain foods. And when that happens, the body's reactions can range from headaches or hives to seizures or death. Food additives have not been exempt from blame either. With the introduction of the artificial sweetener aspartame in soft drinks in 1983, complaints blaming food additives for allergic reactions soared. To better monitor the effects of additives and deal with consumer complaints, FDA set up the Adverse Reaction Monitoring System (ARMS) in early 1985. The surveillance system is passive; that means FDA doesn't go out looking for adverse reactions, but investigates complaints it receives from individuals who suffer reactions or from their physicians. The NutraSweet Company - manufacturer of aspartame - also forwards complaints it receives to FDA. FDA officials investigate the complaints, which are then classified by the severity of the symptom (headaches, mood changes, nausea, etc.) and by the frequency and consistency of the symptom's association with eating or drinking a particular product (whether the symptom occurred more than once, and how soon it occurred after the suspect product was eaten). ARMS has received nearly 6,000 complaints since its inception. Aspartame and sulfite preservatives top the list, accounting for almost 95 percent of all complaints. Other culprits include the flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate, nitrate preservatives, the emulsifier polysorbate, and some dyes. Even vitamin and mineral supplements have come in for their share of suspicion. There have been two reports of chemically induced

hepatitis, one blamed on consumption of large quantities of a multivitamin preparation, the other on a niacin supplement. Aspartame complainers most often blamed diet soft drinks for their symptoms. Their most frequent complaint is headaches. Reported reactions due to sulfites have been far more serious. About 1 percent of the population is sensitive to sulfites. (Most of these individuals suffer from asthma.) Approximately 50 percent of the reported sulfite reactions were classified as serious (for example, difficulty breathing or seizures). Twenty-seven individuals (nearly all were asthmatic) may have died from sulfites, according to ARMS data. Sulfite complainers most often traced their adverse reactions to salad bars. Since August 1986, when FDA prohibited the use of sulfites on raw fruits and vegetables - including those in salad bars - complaints about sulfites have declined. More recently, FDA has proposed keeping sulfites out of many types of potatoes served in restaurants. (For more on sulfite reactions and regulations, see "An Order of Fries - Hold the Sulfites," in the March 1988 FDA Consumer.) Pinpointing a specific ingredient as the cause of an allergic reaction can be a lengthy trial-and-error process. Discovery of the exact cause has often baffled physicians and FDA. For example, in some of the aspartame cases individuals blamed the artificial sweetener for a reaction days after they had eaten or drunk a product containing the sweetener. Was aspartame really to blame? Did all the highly publicized controversy surrounding the inclusion of aspartame in soft drinks prompt some individuals to blame health problems on aspartame? Did some individuals blame aspartame when, in fact, their adverse reactions resulted from an underlying medical disorder? "We have no firm evidence that aspartame actually causes the number of adverse reactions that individuals claim it does," says Dr. Walter Glinsmann, associate director for clinical nutrition at FDA. In a New England Journal of Medicine article on aspartame and headaches, scientists reported the results of a double-blind, placebocontrolled, cross-over study. They found that the placebo caused more headaches than aspartame.

Glinsmann notes that the number of adverse reactions individuals blame on aspartame are so varied that it is virtually impossible for one product to be guilty of such a multitude of sins. There is also no consistent relationship between a symptom and the amount of aspartame ingested or the period of time between taking aspartame and the appearance of the symptom. "On the other hand, there is limited evidence from challenge tests (tests in which suspected allergens are given in sufficient doses to try and provoke reactions in individuals) that at least some individuals may have an allergic-type reaction such as hives to aspartame," says Glinsmann. Three studies may help answer some of the questions surrounding aspartame and adverse reactions. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, N.C., is studying the relationship between aspartame and seizures in animals. Battelle Institute, whose headquarters is in Columbus, Ohio, is assessing the effect of aspartame on brain chemicals. And the Federal Aviation Agency will conduct a series of tests with pilots during flightsimulated computer exercises to see if aspartame affects cognition and perception.

Additives and Preservatives

Processed Foods are natural foods that are put through a procedure that is designed to kill harmful bacteria. Although these procedures are meant to be beneficial, often they are more hazardous. When a natural food source is processed, it is heated, pulverized, impaired, degraded and eventually devoid of any nutritional content. Additives are then distributed to regain back the vitamins and nutrients lost through this process. More than one billion pounds of chemicals are routinely added to food each year. They put all sorts of elements on our foods, to give it colour, flavour, anti-caking agents to prevent clumping, preservatives to stop spoilage, I could go on...and will. An additive is added to a food product either

intentionally, to produce a desired effect or unintentionally through processing, storage or packaging. Preservatives are added to help maintain a food's freshness and to keep it from spoiling, or oxidizing. Salt, sugar and vinegar were the first ways to preserve foods. Technology has further advanced our food choices and as a result, the use of additives and preservatives have exploded into N. American's food supply. In thirty years, there has been an incredible increase of additives since processed foods have become more abundant. I like to call these products, 'man-made' since there is no resemblance to the natural food it once was. Most additives are considered 'safe' but some are known to be carcinogenic even toxic. Hyperactivity, allergies, asthma and migraines are common reactions to food additives. We have researched some of the most common food additives and their related illnesses. Here are our findings:

Preservatives:

Salt retards bacterial growth Nitrates and Nitrates of Sodium and Potassium can be found in some cheeses, adds flavour, maintains pink colour in cured meats and prevents botulism in canned foods. Can cause adverse reactions in children, and potentially carcinogenic. Sulphur Dioxide and Sulphites are used as bleaches and antioxidants to prevent browning in alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, soft drinks, dried fruits and vegetables. It prevents yeast growth and also retards bacteria growth in wine. Causes asthma, and hyperactivity. Sulphites destroy vitamin as well as the above illnesses. Benzoic Acid and Sodium Benzoate are used to preserve oyster sauce, fish sauce, ketchup, nonalcoholic beverages, fruit juices, margarine, salads, confections, baked goods, cheeses, jams and pickled products. Can be found to cause hyperactivity and reacts with 222. Propionic Acid and Propionates used in bread, chocolate products, and cheese for lasting freshness. Sorbic Acid and Sorbates prevent mold formation in cheese and flour confectioneries.

Bleaches:

Sulphur Dioxide used to bleach, disinfect and preserve dried foods.

Acids, Bases and Buffers:

Citric Acid and Lactic Acid used to fortify beverages and dressings. Sodium Hydrogencarbonate used in tinned custards.

Antioxidants:
Are chemicals used to stop the oxidation process from taking place and prevent the product from spoiling. Often these are used to keep products fresh for longer periods.

BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) and (Butylated Hydroxytolulene) are preservatives that block oxidation in fats and oils, preventing rancidity. These chemicals can be found in snacks, cereals, and instant potatoes. Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbates are used to preserve pork sausages by blocking oxidation. Sodium Citrate preserves cured meats and tinned baby foods through antioxidation. Propyl Gallate are used in oils, margarine and salad dressings used as a preservative through antioxidation. Can cause gastric and skin irritation. Tert-butyl hydroquinone are added to fats, oils, margarine, and chips. Common effects are nausea and delirium. Butylated hydroxyanisole added to fried snacks, soft drinks, oils, margarine, and chewing gum. Some common reactions are hyperactivity, asthma, adverse eractions, allergies, and increases cholesterol levels.

Emulsifiers, Stabilizers and Thickeners:

These additives are used in the preparation and processing of foods used to blend or mix ingredients

together to keep them from separating.

Carboxymethylcellulose used in batter coating, frozen chips, and fish sticks. Xanthan Gum used in seafood dressings, frozen pizza and packet dessert toppings. Pectin used in jams, marmalades, and jellies Dextrins used in icings, frozen desserts, confectioneries, whipped cream, cake mixtures, mayonnaise, and salad dressings. Lecithins emulsifier, or mixing agent used in milk chocolate and powdered milk, mayonnaise and ice cream. Sodium Alginate used in ice cream, yogurt, sauces and syrups. Mono-glycerides and Di-glycerides of Stearic Acid emulsifiers used in low cholesterol margarine, hot chocolate mix, dehydrated mash potatoes, and aerosol cream Potassium Dihydrogencitrate used in processed cheese, condensed and evaporated milk. Carageenan added to ice cream, jellies, cakes, decorations, cheese, and salad dressings to thicken the product. Can cause allergies, and intolerances. Mannitol found in ice cream, confections, and low calorie foods. Known to cause allergies, diarrhea, and nausea.

Anti-caking Agents:
These Chemicals are added to facilitate powdered foods from clumping together.

Silicates, Sodium Ferrocyanide added to salt, garlic and onion powders. Calcium Phosphate found in powdered instant soups, cocoa, milk and cream powders in vending machines. Iron Ammonium Citrate can be found in powdered products as well.

Humectants:

Glycerin uses hydrogen bonds to hold moisture in icings and tobacco. Also used to keep

marshmellows and candies soft.

Flavour Enhancers:
Disodium 5' Ribonucleotide is added to flavour crisps, instant noodles, and pies. Can cause skin rashes and is not easily broken down in the body. Colour additives are added to control colour loss due to exposure, light, air, temperature, moisture and storage conditions. To protect flavours and vitamins that may be affected by sunlight during storage, colour can be added as a buffer. It is often used to correct discolouration in poor quality produce as well. For example, if a batch of oranges have brown patches on the skin surface, Citrus Red No.2 can be sprayed on the produce to hide the patches. It can also be used to intensify the products natural colour, to make it more appealing. Colour agents are added to provide a colour to a product, that would otherwise be colourless. For example, Strawberry ice cream has the red added to it to intensify the colour. Lime sherbet has green dye added whereas it would be colourless if left in its natural state.

There are two types of colouring agents, called dyes and lakes. Dyes dissolve in water and are made as powders, granules (small hard pieces), liquids or other forms for special purposes. They can be used in beverages, dry mixes, baked goods, confections (food made with sweet ingredients), dairy products, pet foods and many other products. Lakes are the water insoluble form of dyes. Lakes are more stable than dyes and are ideal for colouring products containing fats and oils or items without sufficient moisture to dissolve dyes. They are used in coated pills, cake and donut mixes, hard candies and chewing gum.

Colouring Agents:
These are some of the most common dyes used in our food products.

No.1 - Bright Blue added to beverages, dairy products, desert powders, jellies, confections, condiments, icings, syrups, and extracts. No. 2 - Royal Blue, Indigotine used in baked goods, cereals, snack foods, ice cream, confections, and cherries.

No. 3 - Sea Green, Fast Green added to beverages, puddings, ice cream, sherbet, cherries, confections, baked goods, and dairy products. No. 3 - Cherry Red colour cherries in fruit cocktails and in canned fruits for salads, confections, baked goods, dairy products, and snack foods. No. 5 - Lemon Yellow, Tartrazine used to colour custards, beverages, ice cream, confections, preserves, and cereals. No. 6 - Orange, Sunset Yellow used in cereals, baked goods, snack foods, ice cream, beverages, dessert powders, and confections. No. 40 - Orange Red, Allura found in gelatins, puddings, dairy products, confections, beverages and condiments. No. 102 - Tartrazine mixed into drinks, cakes, snack foods, ice cream and confections. Some common reactions are asthma, hyperactivity, and can react with aspirin. No. 110 - Sunset Yellow is added to drinks, packet soups, desserts, biscuits, confections, and ice cream. Common reactions are hyperactivity, allergies, and reacts with aspirin. No. 120 - Cochineal colours cakes, confections and ice cream. Can be linked with hyperactivity. No. 122 - Azorubine added to packet soups, sauces, jams, jellies and desserts. Can be found to cause asthma, hyperactivity, and reacts with aspirin. No. 132 - Indigotine Here is an example of a lake form of dye, it is used in tablets, capsules, ice cream, and biscuits. Common reactions are rashes, allergies, and high blood pressure. No. 133 - Brilliant Blue found in tinned peas, and bacon. Know to cause hyperactivity. No. 150 - Caramel mixed into drinks, sauces, soups, cakes, pickles, and vinegar. Can cause hyperactivity.

No. 172 - Iron Oxides used in tinned fish, and fish pastes. This colouring agent can be toxic at high doses. Although we don't have all the information for each chemical, and what effect it could have on you...you need to be aware that all these products could be harmful. This makes a good case to stay away from additives and preservatives. Organic foods do NOT contain ANY of these additives. I

can't stress enough the importance of organic, natural foods.

Sodium nitrate has antimicrobial properties when used as a food preservative. It is found naturally in leafy green vegetables. It has possible health benefits for increasing oxygen to blood,[citation needed] as well as known health side effects at high doses. Side effects may include increased risk of cancer[citation needed], where according to MEDEM the US-NAS found no such evidence in experiments with laboratory animals[citation needed]. same function that an emulsifier performs can also be accomplished by shaking a product vigorously before using it.