#POST 2

Additives are used in foods for five main reasons:

	To Maintain product consistency. Emulsifiers give products a consistent texture and prevent them from separating. Stabilizers and thickeners give smooth uniform texture. Anti-caking agents help substances such as salt to flow freely.
	To improve or maintain nutritional value. Vitamins and minerals are added to many common foods such as milk, flour, cereal and margarine to make up for those likely to be lacking in a person's diet or lost in processing. Such fortification and enrichment has helped reduce malnutrition among the U.S. population. All products containing added nutrients must be appropriately labeled.
	To maintain palatability and wholesomeness. Preservatives retard product spoilage caused by mold, air, bacteria, fungi or yeast. Bacterial contamination can cause foodborne illness, including life-threatening botulism. Antioxidants are preservatives that prevent fats and oils in baked goods and other foods from becoming rancid or developing an off-flavor. They also prevent cut fresh fruits such as apples from turning brown when exposed to air.
	To provide leavening or control acidity/alkalinity. Leavening agents that release acids when heated can react with baking soda to help cakes, biscuits and other baked goods to rise during baking. Other additives help modify the acidity and alkalinity of foods for proper flavor, taste and color.
	To enhance flavor or impart desired color. Many spices and natural and synthetic flavors enhance the taste of foods. Colors, likewise, enhance the appearance of certain foods to meet consumer expectations. Examples of substances that perform each of these functions are provided in the chart "Common Uses of Additives."

there are some more food additive that we should know :)

Common food additives

• Antioxidants

• Sodium metabisulphite: Sodium metabisulphite is used to preserve the freshness of foods. Anecdotal evidence has linked this substance to asthma and anaphylaxis.

• Stannous chloride (tin): Stannous chloride (tin) is an antioxidant and color-retention agent used in canned and bottled foods and fruit juices. Acute poisoning has been reported from the ingestion of fruit juices containing concentrations of tin greater than 250 milligrams per liter.

• Color-retention agents:

• Stannous chloride (tin): Stannous chloride (tin) is an antioxidant and color-retention agent used in canned and bottled foods and fruit juices. Acute poisoning has been reported from the ingestion of fruit juices containing concentrations of tin greater than 250 milligrams per liter.

• Flavorings

• Spices: Spices are the aromatic part of various weeds, flowers, roots, barks, and trees. Because they are derived from plants, spices have the ability to cause allergic reactions similar to pollens, fruits, and vegetables. Common spices include chili peppers, celery, caraway, cinnamon, coriander, garlic, mace, onion, paprika, parsley, and pepper.

• Flavor enhancers

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG): MSG is a flavor enhancer that is naturally occurring in some foods, such as cheese. It is also added to many foods. Symptoms attributed to MSG include pressure on the head, seizures, chest pains, headache, nausea, burning sensations, and tightness of the face.

• Food colorings

• Artificial colorings: Artificial colorings used in processed food products may not always be individually labeled. These agents are used to make food look more appealing. Those opposed to food additives claim that many food colorings may be toxic or carcinogenic.

• Ponceau 4R, Conchineal Red A: People who suffer from asthma, rhinitis, or hives may find that their symptoms become worse following consumption of foods containing this coloring.

• Saffron: This yellow food coloring, obtained from the flower of the Crocus sativa plant, has been reported as a potential cause of anaphylaxis. Many other food colorings are less common, but possible causes of adverse reactions. These include sunset yellow (yellow #6), amaranth (red #2), erythrosine (red #3), and quinoline yellow.

• Preservatives

• Benzoates: Benzoates are preservatives in many foods including meat products, drinks, cereals, and low sugar products. The anecdotal symptoms associated with intolerance include hives and a runny, congested nose. More serious health problems associated with benzoates may include depleted levels of glycine and a decrease number of the enzymes necessary for digestion.

• BHA & BHT: BHA and BHT prevent spoilage of fats and oils in packaged products. Some people claim that ingesting these chemicals results in hives and swelling under the skin. More seriously, some opponents of this preservative claim that it causes cancer.

• Nitrite and nitrate: Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate are two closely related chemicals used for centuries to preserve meat. These are thought to produce cancer-causing chemicals when heated and eaten. Less serious symptoms may include hives and itching.

• Potassium nitrate: Potassium nitrate is a preservative used in cured meats and canned meat products. Potassium nitrate can lower the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood; it may combine with other substances to form nitrosamines, which are known to be carcinogenic; and it may have an atrophying effect on the adrenal gland.

• Propyl p-hydroxybenozoate, propylparaben, and paraben: Propyl p-hydroxybenozoate, propylparaben, and paraben are preservatives used in cereals, snacks, pate, meat products, and confectioneries. Anecdotal evidence suggests that parabens are the cause of chronic dermatitis in numerous cases.

• Sodium metabisulphite: Sodium metabisulphite is used to preserve the freshness of foods. Anecdotal evidence has linked this substance to asthma and anaphylaxis.

• Sodium sulphite: Sodium sulphite is a preservative used in wine and other processed foods. Sulphites have been associated with triggering asthma attacks. Most asthmatics are sensitive to sulphites in food.

• Spices: Spices are derived from the aromatic parts of various weeds, flowers, seeds, roots, barks, and trees. Because they are derived from plants, spices have the ability to cause allergic reactions, similar to pollens, fruits, and vegetables. Common spices include chili peppers, celery, caraway, cinnamon, coriander, garlic, mace, onion, paprika, parsley, and pepper.

• Sulphur dioxide: Sulphur dioxide reacts with a wide range of substances found in food, including various essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and essential fatty acids. Adverse reactions attributed to sulphur dioxide include bronchial problems particularly in those prone to asthma, hypotension (low blood pressure), flushing, tingling sensations, or anaphylactic shock.

• Stabilizers:

• Potassium bromate: Potassium bromate has long been used to increase the volume of bread and to produce bread with a fine crumb (the non-crust part of bread) structure. Most bromate rapidly breaks down to form innocuous bromide. However, bromate itself causes cancer in animals. The tiny amounts of bromate that may remain in bread may pose a small risk to consumers. Bromate has been banned in many countries, although it is still legal in Japan and the United States. It is rarely used in California because a cancer warning is required on product labels.

• Sweeteners

• Aspartame: Aspartame is a sugar substitute that is present in many diet sodas and drinks. Some individuals with PKU (phenylketonuria) report that aspartame makes their symptoms worse. Some patients without PKU claim that the agent may cause seizures. Anecdotal reports indicate that there is a possibility of headaches, blindness, seizures, and mental retardation with high use for long periods of time. Shorter term effects noted by opponents of this sweetener include headaches, hives, and menstrual problems.

• Saccharin & its Na, K and Ca salts: Saccharin is a sweetener used in diet and no-sugar products. Saccharin has shown carcinogenicity in laboratory animals. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that saccharin is possibly carcinogenic to humans. However, other major health organizations, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), disagree with these claims.