“Unit 3: Food Additives” The good, the bad, and the mysterious: an overview

What additives can you think of? Additives have been used for centuries. Our ancestors used salt to preserve meats and fish, Added herbs and spices to improve flavor, Preserved fruit with sugar, and pickled vegetables in vinegar.

There are thousands of ingredients used to make foods! The FDA maintains a list of over 3,000 ingredients in its database, Everything Added to Food in the United States.

“Additives are any substance which becomes a component of or otherwise affects the characteristics of food.” So what does this include?

“Includes:” “Substances used in producing,” “processing,” “packing,” “transporting,” “or holding food.” So it’s not just flavors and colors!

What does that mean? Additives also include chemicals that come from packing material and transportation. So each packaging material must also be approved. These are considered to be indirect additives. “Indirect additives = become part of food through processing.”

Opposite? “Direct additives = added to the food for a specific purpose” Ex. Xanthan gum: in salad dressings, bakery fillings, pudding to add texture. Who needs to approve these additives?

“Additives are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” “The most common are food and color ingredients.” So let’s back up, and take a look at why additives might be used.

“Reasons for Additive Use” “1. maintain safety and freshness” Such as? “preservatives such as antioxidants, prevent spoilage and maintain color” Keeping apple slices from browning Keeping fats and oils from spoiling

“2. improve or maintain nutritional value” Such as? “vitamins and minerals” Enriched foods

“3. improve taste, texture, and appearance” Such as? “spices, sweeteners, natural and artificial flavors” Also includes leavening agents that allow baked goods to rise Or additives that make low-fat foods more pleasant to eat (ex carageenan in chocolate skim milk)

“Exemptions from USDA Approval” You may be surprised to hear that not all additives need government approval! “1. Items generally recognized as safe (GRAS)” “=food industry has used for many years and is assumed safe” Salt, sugar, spices, MSG

“2. ingredients approved for use before the food additives laws of 1958” In other words, it’s been used for many years, so it doesn’t need to meet the new standards. Like sodium nitrite, which is used in lunch meats. They may not be healthy, but they’ve been eaten for a long time.

One of the most common additives… “Color additives are dyes, pigments, or substances added to food, drugs, or cosmetics for color.” Ex. FD&C Yellow No.6 Colors can be used to offset color loss, To enhance colors, Or to add color to colorless foods (cola, margarine, mint chip ice cream)

“Types of Colors” “Certified colors = synthetically produced” These are less expensive, impart a uniform color, and generally have no taste.

“Exempt colors = natural pigments from vegetables, minerals, or animals” Are typically more expensive. Beet extract (red), caramel (yellow to tan), grape skin extract (red or green)