Food additives are substances added to foods to enhance qualities like flavor, appearance, and shelf life. Common food additives include preservatives, colorants, stabilizers, and flavorings. While food additives help improve qualities, some specific additives like high fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, trans fats, and sodium nitrite/sulfite have been linked to negative health effects like increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and cancer. Aspartame is another widely used but controversial food additive that is believed to be neurotoxic and carcinogenic by some studies. The safety of aspartame continues to be debated.

2.  Food additives are defined as “any chemical whether natural
in origin or synthetic which is not normally taken as a food or
consumed as a food instead they are added to food products to
enhance quality and desirable properties of food.”
 Food additives are substances added to food to preserve it or
improve its flavour and appearance.
 Some of the commonly used food additives include;
preservative, colourants, stabilizers and flavouring.
FDA. (2015).

3. Source: Osborne, Peter. (2016).

4.  Civilizations will show the different food styles ranging from having
raw food to usage of sulfur to seal wine packing to using herbs, spices
for cooking. Even though different food cooking styles, shelf life of
food is crucial and even more qualities required for tastier food.
Additional products which are required to do these activities are called
food additives.
Without food additives food will be;
 Colorless Tasteless
 No texture No shape
 No flavor No freshness
 No alkalinity No acidity
 No proper pH value Dried
 Spoil Infected with bacteria
Source: Ansel (2014).

5.  High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a highly-refined artificial sweetener which
has become the number one source of calories in America. It is found in almost
all processed foods, increases your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, and
contributes to the development of diabetes and tissue damage, among other
harmful effects. Found in, bread, candy, flavored yogurts, salad dressings,
canned vegetables, cereals.
 Monosodium Glutamate
MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings,
chips, frozen entrees, and many restaurant foods. MSG is known as an
excitotoxin, Studies show that regular consumption of MSG may result in
adverse side effects which include depression, disorientation, eye damage,
fatigue, headaches, and obesity. Found in Chinese restaurant many snacks,
chips, cookies, seasonings, most Campbell Soup products, frozen dinners and
lunch meats.
Source: Bruyere et al. (2015).

6.  Trans Fat
Trans fats are formed by a process called hydrogenation. Numerous studies show that
trans fat increase LDL cholesterol levels while decreasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol,
increases the risk of heart attacks, heart disease, and strokes, and contributes to
increased inflammation, diabetes, and other health problems. Found in margarine,
chips and crackers, baked goods, fast foods.
 Sodium Sulfite /Sodium Nitrite
Sodium nitrate (or sodium nitrite) this ingredient, which sounds harmless, Sodium
nitrite is widely regarded as a toxic ingredient, Why does the industry still use it?
Simple: this chemical just happens to turn meats bright red. It's actually a color fixer,
and it makes old, dead meats appear fresh and vibrant. Found in hotdogs, bacon, ham,
lunch meat, cured meats, corned beef, smoked fish or any other type of processed meat
Others includes;
 Sulfur Dioxide
 Artificial Sweeteners(Aspartame)
 Potassium Bromate
 Common Food Dyes,etc.
Source: Bruyere et al. (2015).

7. History
Aspartame was discovered in 1965 by
James M. Schlatter, a chemist working
for G.D. Searle & Company was
developing an anti-ulcer drug when he
accidentally stumbled upon aspartame.
Made up of aspartic acid (40%),
phenylalanine (50%) and methanol
(10%), aspartame is 200 times sweeter
than natural sugar. He discovered its
sweet taste when he licked his finger,
which had become contaminated with
aspartame, to lift up a piece of paper.
Torunn Atteraas Garin participated in
the development of aspartame as an
artificial sweetener .
Spencer, et al. (2016).

8. Aspartame, more popularly known as
Nutrasweet and Equal, is found in foods
labeled "diet" or "sugar-free". Aspartame is
believed to be carcinogenic and accounts for
more reports of adverse reactions than all
other foods and food additives combined.
Aspartame is not your friend. Aspartame is a
neurotoxin and carcinogen. Known to erode
intelligence and affect short-term memory, the
components of this toxic sweetener may lead
to a wide variety of ailments including brain
tumor, diseases like diabetes, Parkinson's and
chronic fatigue, emotional disorders like
depression,headaches, nausea, mental
confusion, migraines,seizures,etc.
NOTE: For the average consumer, these
sweeteners are not easily identified on a food
label. Most processed products will be labeled
“sugar-free”, but will contain an artificial
sweetener.
Source: Boullata (2008).

9.  Diet soda
 Gum gum
 Toothpaste
 Snacks food
 Children vitamin
 Dairy products
 Alcoholic beverages
 Beverages
 Sports drink
 Soft candy chews
 Yogurt
Fig: showing different types of food containing aspatame
Source: McCauley (2008)

10.  Vegetable juice drinks
 Natural fiber laxative
 Fiber oral powder supplements
 Appetite control supplements
 sugar-free candy
 sugar-free ice cream
 low-calorie yogurt
 reduced-calorie fruit juice
 Drug manufacturers also use aspartame to make certain medications more
palatable.
Examples of medications that may include aspartame are laxatives and
chewable vitamin supplements.
Source: McCauley (2008)

11. This is the important question and to answer it we need to quickly look at the three
chemicals that make up aspartame. They are:
 Aspartic Acid (40%), an amino acid and neurotransmitter found in the brain.
 Phenylalanine (50%), another amino acid found in the brain.
 Methanol (10%), also known as wood alcohol / poison.
When aspartame is consumed the methanol is released in the Small Intestine by
an enzyme called Chymotrypsin. It’s then converted into formaldehyde and finally
into formic acid both of which are highly toxic to the body and, in particular, to the
Brain and Nervous System.
At the same time Phenylalanine levels increase, leading to dangerously high
levels in the Brain. Among other things, high phenylalanine levels trigger a
reduction in serotonin levels, which have been linked to a number of emotional
disorders. For those consuming aspartame on a regular basis, this leads to a
permanent increase in phenylalanine levels and not just when aspartame is
consumed.
Finally aspartate levels also increase, leading to high levels in the Brain. This in
turn stimulates the release of calcium within neurons and the production of
excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill neurons found within the Brain and
Nervous System.
Elinav, (2015).

12. Source: Osborne, Peter. (2016)

13.  Talking of fruit such as orange, watermelon to boost metabolism after
meal.
 Avoid excessive intake of food that contain aspartame.
 Avoid taking of synthetic supplement
 Replace synthetic supplement with natural ones eg honey,fruit etc.

14. “In conclusion, based on our research, we concur
with the findings of the FDA and the regulatory
bodies/authorities around the world that aspartame
is safe at expected levels of consumptions”

15. 1. Ansel, K. (2014). The Inside Scoop on Artificial Sweeteners. Retrieved from Eat
Right
2. Bruyere, O., et al. (2015). Review of nutritional benefits and risks related to intense
sweeteners. Arch Public Health, 73(41). doi: 10.1186/s13690-015-0092-x.
3. FDA. (2015). Additional Information about High-Intensity Sweeteners Permitted
for use in Food in the United States. Retrieved from FDA
4. Osborne, Peter. (2016). No Grain, No Pain: a 30-day diet for eliminating the root
cause of chronic pain. New York, NY: Touchstone.
5. Spencer, M., et al. (2016). Artificial Sweeteners: A Systematic Review and Primer
for Gastroenterologists. J Neurogastroenterol Motil, 22(2),
168http://dx.doi.org/10.5056/jnm15206
6. Suez, J., Koram, T., Zilberman-Schapira, G., Segal, E., Elinav, E. (2015). Non-
caloric artificial sweeteners and the microbiome: findings and challenges. Gut
Microbes,6(2) , 149-155. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2015.1017700
7. Whitehouse, C.R., Boullata, J., McCauley, L.A. (2008). The potential toxicity of
artificial sweeteners.
8. American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, 56(6), 251-259.

16. Thanks for
listenning