Evaluating The Use of Food Additives

Types of Food Additives


The different types of food additive and their uses include:


  • Anti-caking agents – stop ingredients from becoming lumpy.
  • Antioxidants – prevent foods from oxidising, or going rancid.
  • Artificial sweeteners – increase the sweetness.
  • Emulsifiers – stop fats from clotting together.
  • Food acids – maintain the right acid level.
  • Colours – enhance or add colour.
  • Humectants – keep foods moist.
  • Flavours – add flavour.
  • Flavour enhancers – increase the power of a flavour.
  • Foaming agents – maintain uniform aeration of gases in foods.
  • Mineral salts – enhance texture and flavour.
  • Preservatives – stop microbes from multiplying and spoiling the food.
  • Thickeners and vegetable gums – enhance texture and consistency.
  • Stabilisers and firming agents – maintain even food dispersion.
  • Flour treatment – improves baking quality.
  • Glazing agent – improves appearance and can protect food.
  • Gelling agents – alter the texture of foods through gel formation.
  • Propellants – help propel food from a container.
  • Raising agents – increase the volume of food through the use of gases.
  • Bulking agents – increase the volume of food without major changes to its available energy.

Examples of Food Additives

*The pictures below are showing the foods that is added additives to it

Anti-Caking Agent
Antioxidant
Emulsifiers
Artificial Sweetener


Food Acids & Colours & Flavors
Humectant 
Food Enhancer

Raising Agent


Propellant



EFFECT OF FOOD ADDITIVES ON HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

1. The types of food additives allowed and the quantity permittedare controlled by the 1983 Food Act and the 1985 Food Regulation.
2. The permissible quantity depends on the type of food and the food additives. For example, benzoic acid added must not exceed 800 mg per kg in cordial drinks, whereas sodium nitrite must not exceed 100 mg per kg in meat product.
3. The excessive intake of food additives for a prolonged period of time will ruin our health. The side effects arising from taking food additives are allergy, cancer, brain damage and hyperactivity.

Allergy
  • Food additives such as sodium sulphite (preservative),BHA and BHT (antioxidants), MSG (flavouring) and some food colours (e.g, Yellow No. 5) can cause allergy reactions in some people.
  • The symptoms of MSG allergy are giddiness, chest pain and difficulty in breathing. This condition is called the‘Chinese restaurant syndrome’
  • The presence of sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite in food can cause ‘blue baby’ syndrome that is fatal for babies.This syndrome is due to the lack of oxygen in the blood.Hence, the use of nitrate and nitrite is allowed in baby foods.


Cancer
  • Chemicals that cause cancer are called carcinogens.Sodium nitrite (a preservative) is a potent carcinogen.
  • The nitrite react with the amines in food to produce nitrosamine which can cause cancer.


Brain damage
  • Excessive intake of nitrites for a prolonged period of time can cause brain damage. In this condition, the supply of oxygen to the brain is disrupted and this cause brain damage.


Hyperactivity
  • Food additives such as tartrazine can cause hyperactivity.
  • Children who are hyperactivity become very active, find it difficult to relax or sleep and are very restless.