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Additives in Food
The use of additives in food is directly related to the changing life styles in North America. The majority of the
population is now found in urban areas rather than in farming communities. The increasing number of families
with working mothers has influenced the market for convenience foods. In addition, consumers now expect to
have a year-round supply of seasonal foods. As a result of all these demands, foods are transported over longer
distances, stored for longer periods of time, and undergo more processing.
Food additives play an important role in keeping foods fresh and appealing. They also help in the processing
and preparation of food products. Although most additives have little or no nutritional value, vitamins and
minerals are important nutrients frequently added to food products. Such substances are introduced into foods
intentionally. Other additives find their way into foods indirectly, or accidentally.
Intentional food additives are listed on food labels so that consumers can decide whether they want to buy foods
containing these substances. These additives include sugar, salt, vitamins, and preservatives.
Substances that have no function in food may find their way into foods during processing, packaging, or storing.
Waxes used during processing and substances that migrate from plastic wrap are examples of unintentional
additives. The federal government regulates levels of all unintentional additives to ensure that foods are safe to
eat.
Other substances enter food accidentally. These substances may include pesticides, heavy metals, industrial
chemicals, and other pollutants. It is the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine
whether foods have been contaminated by any of these harmful substances.
Intentional Food Additives Intentional food additives are added to make foods look and taste better, to
maintain or improve nutritional value, and to maintain freshness.
The diet of the average American contains considerable amounts of these substances. For example, a person
who eats 680 kg of food each year will take in 68 kg of additives. Sugars and salt (which are added as flavor
enhancers) represent about 90 percent of these additives. Sucrose, or table sugar, is added in the largest quantity
(about 46 kg per person per year). Each tablespoon of sugar adds 40 to 60 calories to the diet and provides few
nutrients. Research has linked sugars to the development of tooth decay, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
For these reasons, the search for a safe artificial sweetener continues.
Artificial sweeteners are substances that stimulate the same taste receptors as sugar but are not oxidized by the
body for its energy needs. Cyclamates, artificial sweeteners used prior to 1969, were banned when they were
found to cause cancers in laboratory animals.
Saccharin, another popular artificial sweetener has been implicated in the development of cancers of the
bladder. For this reason, saccharin was banned in 1977. Public opposition was so strong, however, that
Congress lifted the ban. Nevertheless it ruled that products containing saccharin must carry warning labels.
Salt is the second largest food additive. The sodium in salt is linked to hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Some foods that contain large amounts of salt are obvious; for example, salted snack foods, soy sauce, and dill
pickles. It is less obvious that salt is added to foods such as canned soups and vegetables, canned and processed
meats, and processed cheese.
Another flavoring additive is monosodium glutamate (MSG). MSG has been shown to damage brain cells in
laboratory animals. It can cause severe headaches in sensitive individuals.
Additives that add color can improve the appearance of foods. Claims have been made that food coloring can
cause hyperactivity in some children and that it is possibly a cause of some birth defects. As yet, there is little
scientific evidence to support these claims. Many coloring agents, however, have been found to cause cancer
and organ damage in laboratory animals. Consequently, some of these agents have been banned and others have
had their use restricted.
Additives that improve the nutritional value of foods include vitamins and minerals. For example, vitamin D is
often added to milk. This vitamin is used by the body in the metabolism of calcium. Vitamin B and iron are
added to bread. Iron is important in the manufacture of new red blood cells. Iodine, added to table salt, prevents
goiter, a disease in which the thyroid gland enlarges.
Preservatives are a large category of intentional food additives. They are added to prevent spoilage or to prevent
insect infestation.
Sodium Benzoate is added to food to prevent the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi that can spoil food and
cause food poisoning. Nitrites and nitrates are other preservatives. They have been the subject of controversy
since it was discovered that they are converted in the stomach to nitrosamines, chemicals known to cause
cancer. Nitrates, however, occur naturally in some vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, and carrots. When added
to certain foods, nitrates prevent the growth of the bacteria that cause botulism, a type of food poisoning that
can be fatal.
Antioxidants are a type of preservative that protects the oils in food from turning rancid. The best-known
antioxidants are the phenolic compounds BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene). Another preservative that is used for this purpose is EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid). If acts
by trapping metal ions that can cause foods to turn rancid or to lose their natural color.
FDA Regulation
No additive is safe under all types of use and in any concentration. Therefore,
the use of permissible food additives is regulated by the FDA.
Under the 1958 Food Additives Amendment, the FDA developed a list of substances that are "generally
recognized as safe" (GRAS). Food additives appearing on this GRAS list may be used without restrictions.
The Additives Amendment also requires that any other substances added to food must be reviewed by the Food
and Drug Administration. This agency then decides whether it is safe to add the substance to food and what
restrictions should be placed on its use. For example, the FDA might prohibit the use of substances that cause
cancer in laboratory animals or of substances that break down the nutrients in food.
Of approximately 4000 additives that have found their way into the food supply, about 2000 are regulated.
Of these 2000, approximately 950 are on the GRAS list.
What Can Consumers Do? The substances mentioned here represent only a small number of the substances
added to foods. What can you do to limit your intake of food additives? First, buy and use more fresh and
unprocessed foods. This will limit the amounts and kinds of food additives you eat. Second, become informed.
Read food labels to find out what is in the foods you buy. Then, weigh both the benefits and risks of eating
foods containing additives. Remember that some foods would not be available or would spoil and be unsafe to
eat without additives.
Questions—List the paragraph number that contains the information to answer the questions and
highlight that information.
1. Why do we use food additives?
2. Name three ways additives get into foods.
3. What is the most common substance added to food? What are its benefits and dangers?
4. What is the second largest food additive? What are some dangers associated with it?
5. Describe two additional food additives with as much detail as possible.
6. Who regulates food additives? Why is this regulation important?
7. What can you do as a consumer to be informed?
8. How much sugar does the average American consume?
9. What are the different molecule names for sugar?
10. What disease is associated with sugar consumption?
11. What does the graph on Relative Risk of Death from Added Sugar explain? Why is it important?