FOOD ADDITIVES

Introduction
 Some of the foods we eat are fresh. They are not processed.
 Most foods, however, are processed.
 In food processing, small amounts of certain chemicals are often added. These are
called food additives.
 Any substance that becomes part of a food product either directly or indirectly during
some phase of processing, storage or packaging is referred to as food additive.
 Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavour or enhance its
taste, appearance, or other qualities.
 According to World Health Organisation, food additives are substances added to food
to maintain or improve its safety, freshness, taste, texture, or appearance.

Need for Food Additives

 In present degree of urbanization, it’s impossible to maintain distribution network
without adding preservatives.
 Great demand for convenience/ready to eat foods and heat and serve products.
 Essential to prevent rancidity of oils and for maintaining the shelf life of high
moisture containing foods.
NB: Food additives must not be used to disguise faulty processing and handling techniques to
cheat customers.

Functions of Food Additives

Foods are subjected to many environmental conditions, such as temperature changes,
oxidation and exposure to microbes, which can change their original composition.
Food additives play a key role in:
 maintaining the food qualities and characteristics that consumers demand (taste and
smell)
 keeping food safe and lengthening stay
 keeping food wholesome
 making food appealing (appearance) from farm to fork
 improving the nutritionally value of the food
Types of food Additives
i. natural – found naturally e.g. extract of the beetroot juice to be used as a coloring
agents
ii. man-made nature identical – synthetic manmade version identical to the natural
additive
iii. artificial – produced synthetically and not found naturally
Classes of Food Additives
1. Preservatives
 They prevent the growth of micro-organisms which could cause food spoilage and
lead to food poisoning.
 They extend the shelf-life of products, so that they can be distributed and sold to the
consumer with a longer shelf-life.
 Examples of selected preservatives: Salt, sugar, vinegar, and pepper (common
household preservatives); Saltpeter or sodium nitrate (used for meat curing); and
Sulfur dioxide (sulfurous acid) and sulfide (inhibit discoloration of cut fruits and serve
as anti- browning agent).
2. Antioxidants
 They prevent food containing fat or oil from going rancid due to oxidation,
developing an unpleasant odor or flavor
 They prevent the browning of cut fruit, vegetables and fruit juices (and so increase
shelf life and appearance).
 For example, vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, or E300, is one of the most
widely used antioxidants. Very-beneficial in preventing spoilage in animal’s fat
caused by oxidation
3. Sequestrants
 A sequestrant is a chemical which combines with a substance and sets aside so it can
be removed from the food.
 Used to inactivate a substance which interferes with the processing of a food.
 They are frequently used to keep the minerals from settling out of beverages and
making them cloudy.
 Sorbital and Phosporic Acid are used as sequestrants
4. Humectants
 They prevent food from drying out.
 Glycerine, Sorbital, and Monitol are called humectants and are used in foods such as
coconut and certain confections to help retain moisture.
5. Bleaching and maturing agents
 Bleaching agent removes the undesirable color and impart a white color.
 A maturing agent reduces the time required for natural aging of a food product and,
therefore, is economically important.
 Chemicals such as Chlorine Dioxide, Bromate and Iodate, and Chlorine are used in
bleaching and maturing agents for flour
6. Emulsifiers, stabilizers, gelling agents and thickeners
 Emulsifiers help mix ingredients together that would normally separate, e.g. Lecithins
 Stabilisers prevent ingredients from separating again, e.g. locust bean gum
 Emulsifers and stabilisers give food a consistent texture, e.g. they can be found in
low-fat spreads
 Gelling agents and thickeners are used to change the consistency of a food, e.g. pectin
– a gelling agent, which is used to make jam.
7. Anti-caking and anti-forming agents
 Anti-caking agents, prevents the formation of lumps making these products
manageable for packaging, transport, and for use by end consumer.
 They reduce the tendency of particles of food to adhere to one another.
 Calcium Phospate, Silica Gel in curing mixes and Stearate are examples of anti-
caking agents.
 Some of the common examples of foods that contain anti-caking agents include: Milk
and cream powders, Icing sugar, Baking powder, Drinking chocolate, and Table salt.
 Anti-forming agents reduce or prevent foaming in foods.
 Anti-foaming agents prevent or disperse frothing, e.g. in the production of fruit juices.
8. Colors
 A food additive, which adds or restores color in a food.
 Colorings are added to food to replace colors lost during preparation, or to make food
look more attractive, more visually appealing.
 Color additives are available for use in food as either “dyes” or “lakes”. Dyes dissolve
in water, but are not soluble in oil. Lakes are the combination of dyes and insoluble
material. Lakes are not oil soluble, but are oil dispersible.
 Colour additives are either natural or synthetic.
9. Flavorings, flavor enhancers, and essence
 Flavorings are added to a wide range of foods, usually in small amounts to give a
particular taste.
 Flavouring or essence is defined as a substance that gives another substance flavour,
altering
 the characteristics of the solute, causing it to become sweet, sour, tangy, etc.
 Flavor enhancers bring out the flavor in foods without imparting a flavor of their own,
e.g. monosodium glutamate (E612) is added to processed foods.
10. Sweeteners
 To make food sweets. Can either be natural (sugar, corn syrup, Nectar and honey), or
artificial (saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K etc.).
11. Glazing agents
 Glazing agents provide a protective coating or sheen on the surface of foods. e.g.
confectionary (for appearance and shelf-life).
12. Other additives
 Acids, bases and buffers control the acidity or alkalinity of food, for safety and
stability of flavor.
 Bulking agents contributes to the bulk of a food without contributing significantly to
its available energy value.
 Firming agents - a food additive, which makes or keeps tissues of fruit or vegetables
firm and crisp, or interacts with gelling agents to produce or strengthen a gel.
 Nutrient supplements - Supplements as generally understood include vitamins,
minerals, fibre, fatty acids, or amino acids, among other substances used to boost the
nutritional content of the diet.
 Clarifying agents are used to remove suspended solids from liquid foods by inducing
flocculation, causing the solids to form larger aggregates that can be easily removed
after they either float to the surface or sink to the bottom of the containment vessel

Guidelines for use of Food Additives

 A food additive needs to fulfil the following conditions:
i. It must be non-toxic and suitable for application.
ii. It must not impart off-flavours when used at levels effective in controlling microbial
growth.
iii. It must be readily soluble.
iv. It must exhibit antimicrobial properties over the pH range of each particular food.
v. It should be economical and practical to use
‘E’ numbering
To regulate these additives, and inform consumers, each additive is assigned a unique
number, termed as "E numbers", which is used in Europe for all approved additives.
This numbering scheme has now been adopted and extended by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission to internationally identify all additives, regardless of whether they are approved
for use.

Dangers of Food Additives

 Although additives and preservatives are essential for food storage, they can give rise
to certain health problems.
 They can cause different allergies and conditions such as hyperactivity and Attention
Deficit Disorder in some people who are sensitive to specific chemicals.
 The foods containing additives can cause asthma, hay fever and certain reactions
 such as rashes, vomiting, headache, tight chest, hives and worsening of eczema.
 Some of the known dangers of food additives are as follows:
Benzoates can trigger the allergies such as skin rashes and asthma as well as believed
to be causing brain damage.
Bromates destroy the nutrients in the foods. It can give rise to nausea and diarrhea.
Butylates are responsible for high blood cholesterol levels as well as impaired liver
and kidney function.
Caffeine is a colorant and flavouring that has diuretic, stimulant properties. It can
cause
nervousness, heart palpitations and occasionally heart defects.
Saccharin causes toxic reactions and allergic response, affecting skin, gastrointestinal
tract and heart. It may also cause tumors and bladder cancer.
Red Dye 40 is suspected to cause certain birth defects and possibly cancer.
 Mono and di-glycerides can cause birth defects, genetic changes and cancer.
Caramel is a famous flavouring and colouring agent that can cause vitamin B6
deficiencies. It can cause certain genetic defects and even cancer.
Sodium chloride can lead to high blood pressure, kidney failure, stroke and heart
attack.
 To minimize the risk of developing health problems due to food additives and
 preservatives, you should avoid the foods containing additives and preservatives.
 Before purchasing the canned food, you must check its ingredients. You should buy
organic foods, which are free from artificial additives.
 Try to eat the freshly prepared foods as much as possible rather than processed or
canned foods.

TOXICANTS IN FOOD
Introduction
Toxicity can be defined as “the capacity of a substance to cause adverse health effects on a
living organism” (Altug, 2002).
Generally, food toxins are substances that cause foods to become toxic.
Food is not only the elementary source of nutrients for humans but may also contain natural
chemical substances with toxic properties.

Occurrence of Food Toxicants

i. Natural toxins of plant origin
ii. Toxins of animal origin
iii. Mycotoxins
iv. Food toxins from industrial wastes
v. Toxins from pesticide residues
vi. Toxins from food additives
vii. Toxins formed during food processing

i. Natural toxins of plant origin

a) Alkaloids
  They are all nitrogenous heterocyclic compound which occur mainly in plants as their
salts of common carboxylic acids such as citric, lactic, oxalic, acetic, malic and
tartaric acids as well as fumaric, benzoic, aconitic and veratric acids.
 Their amine character produces an alkaline solution in water and hence the origin of
their name - alkaloids.
 Potatoes contain glycoalkaloid (solanine), which causes diarrhea, vomiting,
abdominal pain, and restlessness.
 Mustard oil contains argemone oil consisting of toxic alkaloid sanguinarine.
b) Toxic amino acids
 Lathyrogens (beta-N-oxalylamino-L-alanine- BOAA), found in legumes such as chick
peas are derivatives of amino acids that act as metabolic antagonists of glutamic acid,
a neurotransmitter in the brain.
 When lathyrogens are ingested in large amounts by humans or animals, they cause a
crippling paralysis of the lower limbs and may result in death.
c) Cyanogenic glucoside
 Cyanogenic glycosides are present in a number of food plants and seeds.
 These glycosides occur in edible parts of plants such as Cassava or tapioca and
sorghum.
 Cassava is a rich source of cyanogenic glycoside (linamarin). When it is hydrolyzed
chemically or enzymatically, it yields the poisonous hydrogen cyanide.
 Cases of poisoning after a heavy meal of cassava and unripe sorghum have been
reported. Acute cassava poisoning – headache, breathlessness, paralysis, muscle
weakness, coma and death
 Only fresh peeled cassava washed in running water should be consumed and the
bitter, damaged ones should be discarded.
 Lima beans contain cyanide precursors. They inhibit oxidative processes of cells.
d) Mushrooming poisoning
Caused by consumption of raw or cooked fruiting bodies of a number of species of higher
fungi.
e) Anti-nutritional factors in food
They interfere with the assimilation of nutrients in the body.
Protease inhibitors
  Protease inhibitors interfere with the action of trypsin and chymostrypsin, enzymes
produced by the pancreas to break down ingested proteins.
 They are found to some extent in cereal grains (oats, barley, and maize), brussels
sprouts, onion, beetroot, wheat, finger millet, peanuts, beetroots, white of an egg, and
raw soybeans.
 Symptoms – growth retardation and hypertrophy of pancreas.
Haemagglutinins
 Globulin – have the property of agglutinating RBC
 Agglutinins combine with the cell lining of intestinal wall and, therefore, interfere
with nutrient absorption.
 Symptoms – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, growth depression, decreased food intake
and death.
Phytates
 The phytates are present in cereal grains and some lentils.
 Phytates are usually present in a bound form with potassium, calcium or magnesium.
 Phytates have adverse effects on the availability of zinc, calcium, magnesium and
iron, because they form insoluble complexes with these minerals.
Tannins
 Interfere with the absorption of iron and reduce the availability of proteins by binding
to them.
 Present in high amounts in seed coat of most legumes, spices, tamarind, turmeric,
certain vegetables, fruits and particularly tea.
Goitrogens
 Food plants species in the Cruciferae (Brassicaceae) family contain substances called
goitrogens or glucosinolates, which probably play a role in the plant's defenses against
predators and fungal attack.
 When eaten by animals or humans, glucosinolates can inhibit thyroid gland
functioning, causing enlargement and atrophy of the thyroid, or goiter.
 Brassica species containing goitrogens include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower,
rutabaga, kohlrabi, and the oilseeds, rapeseed and canola.
Oxalates
 Mostly present in form of Ca salts.
 Interfere with Ca absorption
  Symptoms: Hyperoxaluria- kidney stones
ii. Toxins of animal origin
a) Seafood poisoning
 There are number of causes of food poisoning originating from seafoods and shellfish.
 Seafood poisoning can be caused by Ciguatera poisoning, a toxin from microalgae,
which has been accumulated in fish flesh.
 Another poisoning known as Scrombroid poisoning is believed to occur due to
consumption of fish flesh containing high levels of histamine and possibly some
biogenic amines.
 Shellfish poisoning is caused by a group of toxins produced by planktonic algae upon
which the shellfish feed. All shellfish are potentially toxic.
b) Biogenic amines
 The biogenic amines are biologically active compounds synthesized from amino
acids. Foodborne biogenic amines are most commonly synthesized by spoilage
microorganisms and are usually considered to be potential toxins.
 A subgroup of the biogenic amines are the mammalian polyamines: putrescine and
spermine.
iii. Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain moulds (fungi) and can be
found in food.
The moulds grow on a variety of different crops and foodstuffs including cereals, nuts,
spices, dried fruits, apples and coffee beans, often under warm and humid conditions.
The adverse health effects of mycotoxins range from acute poisoning to long-term effects
such as immune deficiency and cancer.
Several hundred different mycotoxins have been identified, but the most commonly observed
mycotoxins that present a concern to human health and livestock include aflatoxins,
ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol.
iv. Environmental toxins
Pesticide residues found in milk, grains, oil, bottled water, and vegetables and fruits
Vet drug residues found in milk and milk products, and meat and meat products
Metallic – nickel
v. Toxins formed during processing
Chemical changes in food components, including amino acids, proteins, sugars,
carbohydrates, vitamins, and lipids, caused by high-heat treatment have raised questions
about the consequence of reducing nutritive values and even the formation of some toxic
chemicals such:
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Maillard reactions products (MRPs)
Polycyclic aromatic amines (PAAs)
N- nitrosamines
Acrylamides
Food irradiations
PAHs re a group of more than 100 different chemicals that are released from burning organic
substances such as charcoal-broiled meat.
PAAs - some classes of cooked protein-rich foods, such as beef, chicken, and dried seafood,
tended to be more mutagenic.
N-nitrosamines – foods containing nitrates and proteins (amino acids) especially n cured meat
products are potential carcinogens.
Acrylamides - are formed during mallard reaction, and also from asparagine – contains
amino acid, and acrolein (glycerol - lipid).
Food irradiations – ionizing radiations during processing.

Effects of Processing on Food Toxicants

i. Mycotoxins
Reduction of mycotoxin contamination was documented for cleaning; milling; brewing;
fermentation; cooking; baking; frying; roasting; flaking; alkaline cooking; nixtamalization
(soaking, cooking in an alkaline solution, and hulling of grains); and extrusion.
ii. Plant-based toxins
Phytates – germination and soaking overnight reduce phytate content.
Tannins – removal of seed coat reduces tannins
Goitogens - The enzymes required for production of goitrogens in the plant are destroyed by
cooking. Goitrogens are also lost through leaching into cooking water.
Cyanogenic glycosides - are removed by fermentation and drying
Alkaloid content is reduced by soaking, cooking, fermenting and germination.
Oxalates - soaking and cooking in water can reduce soluble oxalate by leaching