Additives: Producing Desired Characteristics in Foods 16 Additives: Producing Desired Characteristics in Foods

Objectives Differentiate between intentional and incidental food additives. State the role of the Food and Drug Administration in regulating additives. Describe four main functions of additives. continued

Objectives Explain the secondary use of additives as processing aids. Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of additives in the food supply.

What Is a Food Additive? Ingredients are component parts of food products that are generally recognized as safe An ingredient list indicates what has been combined to make a food product A food additive is a substance added to food to cause a desired positive change in the product’s characteristics continued

What Is a Food Additive? Food additives may or may not have nutritional value can be added at any point from the farm to the kitchen table are regulated by the USDA and FDA undergo extensive testing and research to confirm their safety continued

What Is a Food Additive? Additives get into foods in 2 main ways Intentional food additives are added on purpose to give food specific characteristics Incidental food additives get into foods unintentionally Both intentional and incidental food additives are regulated to protect the consumer from health hazards

Regulating Additive Use Foods are constantly monitored, tested, and reevaluated for safety U.S. Food regulations and guidelines keep up with new scientific knowledge The 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act gave the FDA authority to supervise the use of additives in the food supply and set the guidelines for their use continued

Regulating Additive Use The 1958 Food Additive Amendment prevents the use of an additive in foods unless the FDA is convinced it is safe Evidence of safety must be based on scientific research A manufacturer of a new additive is required to provide proof of safety before receiving approval for its use continued

Regulating Additive Use To receive FDA approval, a company must take these steps continued ©Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Regulating Additive Use The FDA establishes a margin of safety for each additive This is the zone between the concentration in which an additive is used and the level at which a hazard exists Most foods have a margin of safety of 1/100, meaning a person would need to eat 100 servings in a short period to be at risk continued

Regulating Additive Use The law further requires that an intentional additive must perform a useful function an additive cannot be used to deceive the consumer or hide faulty manufacturing an additive cannot cause a substantial loss of nutritive value in a food continued

Regulating Additive Use The law further requires that an additive cannot be used in place of good manufacturing practices a method must exist for analyzing the presence of the additive in food The FDA can reject an additive if any of the requirements are not met

The GRAS List Food additives that had long been used with no known health hazards were exempt from the 1958 Food Additive Amendment They were placed on a generally recognized as safe list, known as the GRAS list. Manufacturers were allowed to continue use of the GRAS list additives until testing could be done continued

The GRAS List President Nixon ordered the reevaluation of the GRAS list in 1969 Those found with a potential hazard were removed or reclassified Additives on the GRAS list are classified based on the type of conclusion the FDA reached regarding their safety continued

The GRAS List GRAS classifications Class 1—considered safe at present and anticipated levels of use Class 2—safe at current usages, but further study is advised on increased levels Class 3—permitted restricted use and further research is needed Class 4—safer guidelines are needed Class 5—recommended for removal continued

The GRAS List Controlled-use substances are conditionally approved additives that do not appear on the GRAS list must be used per specific guidelines for the type of food to which they are added are defined in parts per million (ppm) molecules of additive as compared to molecules of other substances

The Delaney Clause The Delaney Clause Problems with the Delaney Clause was added to the Food Additives amendment of 1958 and the Color Additives amendment of 1960 bars approval of any food additive found to cause cancer in humans or animals Problems with the Delaney Clause An additive may cause cancer in animals under conditions not related to use in food continued

The Delaney Clause Problems with the Delaney Clause New technology allows detection at parts per billion instead of parts per thousand so all foods could be found to contain at least one carcinogen New guidelines allow use if the substance is required or cannot be avoided Limits are set to protect public safety

International Regulation Regulations vary from country to country Increased use of food imports created a need for international guidelines The United Nations established both the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) World Health Organization (WHO) FAO and WHO formed a commission to set international food standards

Functions of Additives Additives are allowed when their benefits outweigh their risks Food additives function to preserve product quality and/or prolong shelf life enhance flavors and/or colors control product consistency improve or maintain nutritive value

Preserve Product Quality Preservatives are substances added to food to prevent or slow spoilage and maintain natural colors and flavors They prevent spoilage caused by microbial contamination and spoilage from the oxidation of fats Food scientists choose functional, nontoxic, flavorless, and economical additives continued

Preserve Product Quality Antimicrobial agents are preservatives that prevent the growth of microbes in food Salt and sugar are used most often and work to draw water from microbes continued ©Marie C Fields/Shutterstock.com

Preserve Product Quality Examples of antimicrobial agents Nitrites prevent growth of bacteria that causes botulism in such foods as bologna, hot dogs, smoked fish, sausage, salami, and ham Acetic, ascorbic, citric, lactic, and propionic acids prevent microbe growth by lowering pH The agent chosen depends on the type of food and how it is likely to spoil continued

Preserve Product Quality Antioxidants protect food from changes caused by exposure to oxygen and are added by incorporating directly into fats and oils combining water-soluble antioxidants with glycerol-water emulsions spraying or dipping food in antioxidant solution packaging food in a wrap that contains antioxidants continued

Preserve Product Quality The 3 categories of antioxidants are GRAS list antioxidants such as citric acid, vitamin C, and vitamin E controlled-use antioxidants such as BHA, BHT, propyl gallate, and TBHQ sulfites, or salts containing sulfur, such as sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, and sodium and potassium bisulfite

Enhance Sensory Characteristics Coloring agents are of 2 types natural versus synthetic Natural colors are extracted from plant, animal, and mineral sources come from beta-carotene, spices such as turmeric, saffron, and paprika, squid ink, and ferrous gluconate continued

Enhance Sensory Characteristics Synthetic coloring agents are used more widely than natural colors provide the most stable colors are easier to produce, more economical, and lacking unwanted flavors are identified by use, shade, and number The name FD & C Red No. 40 means the coloring agent is approved for use in food, drugs, and cosmetics continued

Enhance Sensory Characteristics Flavoring agents are added to replace natural flavors lost during processing Natural flavoring agents are not limited in use and need not be listed by name on the ingredients label Natural flavoring agents include cinnamon, dill, basil, poppy seed, and thyme continued

Enhance Sensory Characteristics Synthetic flavoring agents are cheaper and more abundant than natural flavors are usually organic compounds called esters Product labeling indicates the type of flavoring agent used continued

Enhance Sensory Characteristics Flavor enhancers improve an individual’s ability to taste the natural flavors in a food Salt is the most widely used flavor enhancer Sweeteners are used to make the taste of many food products more appealing are classified as nutritive or nonnutritive

Control Product Consistency Anticaking agents absorb moisture to keep powdered and crystalline ingredients from caking or lumping Emusifiers keep tiny particles of one liquid suspended in another Examples include lecithin, monoglycerides, and diglycerides continued

Control Product Consistency Humectants help products retain moisture, control crystal growth, and regulate water activity are used mainly in marshmallows, soft candies, flaked coconut, chewing gum, and confections include propylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol, and mannitol ©Andrew G. Davis/Shutterstock.com continued

Control Product Consistency Leavening agents increase volume and alter texture The 2 main types are yeast and chemical leavening agents that cause an acid-base reaction Maturing and bleaching agents are chemicals that speed the aging process and whiten flour continued

Control Product Consistency pH control agents are additives that alter or stabilize the pH of a food mixture Acids are used as preservatives, to give a tart flavor, and/or to alter texture Bases enhance the color and flavor of some foods, can affect texture, and soften fruit skin Buffers stabilize mixtures at a desired pH continued

Control Product Consistency Stabilizers and thickeners help control the consistency of food mixtures prevent chocolate from settling out of chocolate milk prevent ice crystals from forming in ice cream keep flavors from evaporating from cakes and puddings

Improve or Maintain Nutritional Value Most additives are vitamins or minerals They are added to reduce or eliminate illness due to nutrient deficiencies Enrichment replaces nutrients lost in processing Fortification adds nutrients to a food mixture to improve its health benefits

Secondary Intentional Additives Intentional enzymes are added to alter flavor, texture, digestibility, or nutritional value of a food are used as a processing aid must meet FDA regulations may come from plants, animal tissue, or microorganisms continued

Secondary Intentional Additives Intentional enzymes are used to make processes safer, faster, more economical clarify juices and canned vegetable broths make cheese and cured and processed meats enhance baked goods by hydrolyzing gluten

Balancing Benefits and Risks Benefits of food additives include an expanded and varied low-cost food supply available throughout the year a reduced risk of foodborne illness less time required for food preparation tasks greater variety of convenience foods more job opportunities continued

Balancing Benefits and Risks Concerns of food additives include unknown health hazards that may be revealed in future research allergic reactions in certain people The FDA operates an Adverse Reaction Monitoring System (ARMS) to monitor the safety of additives continued

Balancing Benefits and Risks Steps to reduce possible risks linked to food additives include wash all produce before eating choose fresh produce over processed snack foods learn to prepare foods from scratch read food product labels read reports from FDA on additives

Recap Intentional additives are added on purpose but incidental food additives get into foods unintentionally The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates food additives continued

Recap Food additives function to preserve product quality and/or prolong shelf life enhance flavors and/or colors control product consistency improve or maintain nutritive value continued

Recap Intentional enzymes are added to food products to act as a processing aid Although food additives offer benefits, their use creates concern for some Concerns can be expressed at FDA review hearings