2. Additives: Producing Desired Characteristics in Foods16
Additives: Producing Desired Characteristics in Foods

3. 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.
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4. Objectives Explain the secondary use of additives as processing aids.
Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of additives in the food supply.

5. 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
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6. 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
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7. 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

8. 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
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9. 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
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10. Regulating Additive Use
To receive FDA approval, a company must take these steps
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11. 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
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12. 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
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13. 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

14. 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
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15. 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
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16. 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
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17. 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

18. 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
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19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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
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23. 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
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©Marie C Fields/Shutterstock.com

24. 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
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25. 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
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26. 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

27. 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
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28. 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
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29. 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
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30. 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
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31. 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

32. 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
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33. 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
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34. 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
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35. 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
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36. 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

37. 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

38. 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
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39. 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

40. 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
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41. 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
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42. 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

43. Recap
Intentional additives are added on purpose but incidental food additives get into foods unintentionally
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates food additives
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44. 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
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45. 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