Food additives...

1. SUNIL SHARMA

2.  Food additives are substances added
to food to preserve flavour or enhance its
taste, appearance, or other qualities. Some
of the food eat almost daily like:-
Biscuits,bread,sugar,confectonery,chewing
gum, carbonated beverages, fruit squashes
and a syrups have a large number of food
additives.
 Ex-Biscuit have12 additives and bread 9.

3.  The food additives may be broadly
classified in two groups:-
 A. The incidental or indirect additives.
 B. The intentional or direct additives.

4.  A food may contain minute traces of a
chemical as a result of contact with a
substance used in its production, processing
or packing. Since its presence serves no
useful purpose in the final food product, such
a chemical may be considered to be an
incidental additive, e.g., food may pick up
material from a wrapper or a container, either
by dissolving it out or by abrasion from the
container into the food. Detergents used for
cleaning dishes or food equipments could be
such an incidental source.

5.  Chemicals are intentionally added to foods by the
processor in order to enhance the quality of a
food such as texture, colour, flavour, nutritive
value, or keeping properties to gain better
consumer- acceptance. Like :-
 1. Antioxidants
 2. Emulsifiers
 3. Enzymes
 4. Flavouring agents
 5. Colour and preservatives

6.  Food additives are considered to be without
any potential adverse effect ,
 They have been problems concering safety of
some of these chemicals.
 The safety of the antioxident BHA for instance
has been questioned in light of the fact that
is consumption leades to cancer in rodent
(rats, mice).
 The preservatives such as benzoic acid and
sulphites have been associated with allergies.

7.  A small segment of the population has been
found to develop hives , nausea , diarrhoea ,
shortness of breath or even fatal shock after
consuming sulphites.
 Nitrites on the other hand , can form cancer-
causing nitrosamines in the food in which they
are added as preservative.
 Monosodium glutamate(MSG) form “Chinese
restaurant syndrome” and it can occur in people
who had consumed chinese food. It can result in
acute illness by burning or tingling sensation on
the face, neck and head, tightness, stiffness or
pressure in chest and face

8.  The permitted colours are also not totally safe.
High levels of erythrosine intake have been
associated with thyroid tumours.
 The allergic responses vary from rashes to swelling
and worsening of the condition of patients with
asthma.
 Persons who are sensitive to aspirin may also be
sensitive to tartrazine and hence should avoid food
and medicines having this yellow dye.
 Allergic reactions have also been seen in some
people who consumed food to which natural
colours like annatto and carmine had been added.

9.  Food additives is evaluated at an international
level through the joint expert committee, from
the food and agriculture organization (FAO) and
the world health organization (who), on food
additives (JECFA).
 FAO/WHO develop guidelines for food safety that
is GSFA (General Standards For Food Additives)
and in this they fix ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake)
 In India BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) through
PFA act 1954 provide list of food products and
additives which are mandatory.

10.  One should choose foods that are free of
additives or at least which have minimum
number of additives.
 Food with artificial or synthetic colors and class 2
preservative should specially be avoided.
 Properly labelled food should be selected.
 All additives should be subject to an ongoing
safety review as scientific understanding and
methods of testing continue to improve.
 A monitoring system should be set up which
investigate specific foods, food additives or
vitamin and mineral supplements.