This document discusses antioxidants and other food additives. It defines antioxidants as substances added to food to prevent oxidative spoilage and notes their objectives are to prevent rancidity in fatty foods and browning in fruits and vegetables. It describes oxidation and the two types that occur, and explains how antioxidants work by consuming free radicals produced. The document outlines natural antioxidants like ascorbic acid and tocopherols, and synthetic antioxidants like BHA, BHT and TBHQ. It notes health concerns about consuming too much of these additives and provides FSSAI standards. Finally, it briefly mentions other additives used as bulking agents, anti-caking agents, humectants and glazing agents

1. ANTI-OXIDANTS AND OTHER FOOD
ADDITIVES

2. ANTI-OXIDANTS
• FSSAI 2009, substance
added to food that
retards or prevents
oxidative spoilage of
food & doesn’t include
sugar, cereals, oils,
flavors, herbs & spices.
OBJECTIVES
• Prevent fatty/oily food
from rancidity (off-
flavor & odour)
• Prevent cut surface
browning of F & V

3. OXIDATION
• Addition of oxygen/removal of hydrogen
• Leads to food spoilage, change in chemical
composition, color, nutritive value etc
• 2 types :-
Auto-oxidation: addition of molecular oxygen to C-C
double bond.
Enzyme-catalysed: carried out by enzymes eg: lipase on
lipids, phenolase on phenols
• Anti-oxidants work by consuming free radicals
produced

4. TYPES OF ANTI-OXIDANTS
NATURAL
• Naturally present in F & V,
mostly flavanoids.
Eg: ascorbic acid in citrus fruits
• Include Ascorbic acid
(E300), tocopherols with
alpha-tocopherol being
most imp. Lipid-soluble
anti-oxidant (E306)
• Isolated from natural
sources & can be
synthesized in lab
SYNTHETIC
• Compounds with anti-
oxidant activity synthesized
in lab.
• Eg: BHA (butylated hydroxy
anisole)
BHT (Butylated hydroxy
toluene)
TBHQ (Tertiary butyl hydro
quinone)

5. HEALTH CONCERNS
• If consumed in more than prescribed amounts, can
cause joint pains, dermatitis, headache, asthma
etc.
• FSSAI standards: 0.02% of the total, amount added
depends on fat content upper limit being 0.02%

6. OTHER ADDITIVES
• BULKING AGENTS:
Add weight/volume keeping utility same. Eg: gums, sugar
alcohols, fibres.
ANTI-CAKING AGENTS:
Added to powdered/granular foods to prevent lump
formation. Eg: Sodium silicate (E550)
HUMECTANTS:
Added to keep food stuff moist. Eg: Salt, sugar, glycerol etc.
GLAZING AGENTS:
Waxy coating over product to provide gloss & prevent water
loss from surface. Eg: mineral oil

7. REFERENCES
http://www.faia.org.uk/category/additives/anti-caking-agents/
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/additives.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/212615/food-additive#toc50532
http://www.fssai.gov.in/Portals/0/FSSAI%20regulations.pdf
http://bulkingagent.info/