CHAPTER 5 CHEMICAL FOR CONSUMERS--FOOD ADDICTIVES

Natural or synthetic substance which is added to food to prevent spoilage or to improve its appearance, taste or texture.

1. Preservatives

-added to food to slow down or prevent the growth of microorganisms,so that the food can be kept for longer periods of time.

Sodium nitrate

-to preserve and stabilize the red colour in meats.

-causes stomach cancer/ brain damage

Salt

-causes high blood pressure,heart attack,stroke

Sugar

-causes obesity,tooth decay,diabetes

Sulphur dioxide

-fruit juice

-causes asthma,allergies

Benzoic acid/ sodium benzoate

-oyster sauce

2.Antioxidants

-added to food to prevent oxidation that causes rancid fats and brown fruits.

Ascorbic acid(vitamin C)

  =fruit juice

  =to preserve the colour of fruit juice

3.Flavourings

   -Improve the taste of food and restore taste loss due to processing

Sugar,salt,vinegar

Monosodium glutamate(MSG)

-To bring out the flavor in many food.

-causes headache,vomiting and difficulty in breathing

Aspartame

-To sweeten the food.

-200 times sweeter than sugar,but it has fewer calories than sugar

-suitable for diabetic patients and for people who want to loss weight.

Ester

Pentyl ethanoate (banana flavor)

4. Stabilizers

-help to prevent an emulsion from separating out.

-example of food: margarine,butter,ice-cream

-example of stabilizers: lecithin, acacia gum

5. Thickeners

-used to thicken the food.

-e.g : modified starch,pectin,acacia gum,gelatin,agar

6.Dyes

-add or restore the colour in a food in order to enhance its visual appearance and to match customers’ expectations

Azo compounds

-red,orange,yellow

-e.g tartazine(yellow)

         =causes hyperactive,difficult to sleep

Triphenyl compounds

-blue, green

-e.g. Brilliant blue FCF