Types of Food Ingredients

TYPES OF WHAT THEY EXAMPLES NAMES FOUND ON

INGREDIENT DO OF USERS PRODUCT LABELS
S
Preservatives Prevent food spoilage Fruit sauces and jellies, Ascorbic acid, citric acid,
from bacteria, molds, beverages, baked sodium benzoate, calcium
fungi or yeast goods, cured meats, oils propionate, sodium
(antimicrobials); slow or and margarines, cereals, erythorbate, sodium nitrite,
prevent changes in dressings, snack foods, calcium sorbate, potassium
color, flavor or texture fruits and vegetables sorbate, BHA, BHT, EDTA,
and delay rancidity tocopherols (Vitamin E)
(antioxidants); maintain
freshness
Sweeteners Add extra sweetness Beverages, baked Sucrose (sugar), glucose,
with or without the goods, confections, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol,
extra calories table-top sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn
substitutes, many syrup, saccharin, aspartame,
processed foods sucralose, acesulfame
potassium (acesulfame-K),
neotame
Color Additives Offset color loss due to Many processed foods, FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2,
exposure to light, air, (candies, snack foods FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red
temperature extremes, margarine, cheese, soft Nos. 3 and 40, FD&C Yellow
moisture and storage drinks, jams/jellies, Nos. 5 and 6, Orange B,
conditions; correct gelatins, pudding and Citrus Red No. 2, annatto
natural variations in pie fillings) extract, beta-carotene, grape
color; enhance colors skin extract, cochineal extract
that occur naturally; or carmine, paprika oleoresin,
provide color to caramel color, fruit and
colorless and “fun” vegetable juices, saffron
foods (Note: Exempt color additives
are not required to be
declared by name on labels
but may be declared simply
as colorings or color added)
Flavors and Add specific flavors Pudding and pie Natural flavoring, artificial
Spices (natural and fillings, gelatin flavor and spices
synthetic) dessert mixes, cake
mixes, salad
dressings, candies,
soft drinks, ice cream,
BBQ sauce
Flavor Enhance flavors Many processed foods Monosodium glutamate
Enhancers already present in (MSG), hydrolyzed soy
foods (without protein, autolyzed yeast
providing their own extract, disodium
separate flavor) guanylate or inosinate
Fat Replacers Provide expected Baked goods, Olestra, cellulose gel,
(and texture and a creamy dressings, frozen carrageenan, polydextrose,
components “mouth-feel” in desserts, confections, modified food starch,
of reduced-fat foods cake and dessert microparticulated egg
formulations mixes, dairy products white protein, guar gum,
used to xanthan gum, whey
replace fats) protein concentrate
Nutrients Replace vitamins and Flour, breads, cereals, Thiamine hydrochloride,
minerals lost in rice, macaroni, riboflavin (Vitamin B2),
processing margarine, salt, milk, niacin, niacinamide, folate
(enrichment), add fruit beverages, or folic acid, beta carotene,
nutrients that may be energy bars, instant potassium iodide, iron or
lacking in the diet breakfast drinks ferrous sulfate, alpha
(fortification) tocopherols, ascorbic acid,
Vitamin D, amino acids (L-
tryptophan, L-lysine, L-
leucine, L-methionine)
Emulsifiers Allow smooth mixing Salad dressings, Soy lecithin, mono- and
of ingredients, peanut butter, diglycerides, egg yolks,
prevent separation chocolate, margarine, polysorbates, sorbitan
Keep emulsified frozen desserts monostearate
products stable,
reduce stickiness,
control crystallization,
keep ingredients
dispersed, and to help
products dissolve
more easily
Stabilizers Produce uniform Frozen desserts, dairy Gelatin, pectin, guar gum,
and texture, improve products, cakes, carrageenan, xanthan
Thickeners, “mouth-feel” pudding and gelatin gum, whey
Binders, mixes, dressings,
Texturizers jams and jellies,
sauces
pH Control Control acidity and Beverages, frozen Lactic acid, citric acid,
Agents and alkalinity, prevent desserts, chocolate, ammonium hydroxide,
acidulants spoilage low acid canned sodium carbonate
foods, baking powder
Leavening Promote risking of Breads and other Baking soda, monocalcium
Agents baked goods baked goods phosphate, calcium
carbonate
Anti-caking Keep powdered foods Salt, baking powder, Calcium silicate, iron
agents free-flowing, prevent confectioner’s sugar ammonium citrate, silicon
moisture absorption dioxide
Humectants Retain moisture Shredded coconut, Glycerin, sorbitol
marshmallows, soft
candies, confections
Yeast Promote growth of Breads and other Calcium sulfate,
nutrients yeast baked goods ammonium phosphate
Dough Produce more stable Breads and other Ammonium sulfate,
Strengthener dough baked goods azodicarbonamide, L-
s and cysteine
Conditioners
Firming Maintain crispiness Processed fruits and Calcium chloride, calcium
agents and firmness vegetables lactate
Enzyme Modify proteins, Cheese, dairy Enzymes, lactase, papain,
Preparations polysaccharides and products, meat rennet, chymosin