E-number food additives, their chemistry and role in food
Since the dawn of time, humans had using several simpler and yet natural food preservation techniques such as preserving meat using salt, or immersing onions and cucumber in a jar of vinegar to keep the food fresh and last longer. The method of preserving food had been evolved over a significant period of time. (Heldman, 2003) Food additives are either a natural or synthetic substances which was added intentionally to food to improve the taste and the appearance or to store longer period of time for later consumption. Food additives are included inside most of the things we eat.
Technology has advanced over time that humans had invented different kind of artificial food additives. Food additives have increased its uses and consist of different kind of chemical properties. Today, there are more than 2500 different food additives are added into foods to enhance the taste of the food and ensure food lasts longer (Branen, 2002).The use of the food additives had strike up some controversy because there are some health problems caused by some food additives will mostly affect a person who has allergic to certain types of food additives. The food additives might alter its functions when it consumed too much. To prevent the misuse of the food additives, there are some methods of prevention carried out by concerned administrations. Food and Drug or Health and Welfare administrations in most countries will be regulate the use of food additives to prevent them affect our health. E numbers are codes for substances which can be used as food additives for use within the European Union and Switzerland (the “E” stands for “Europe”) as they are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. …show more content…
(Gates, 2010) The legislation requires the food to be labeled in the list of ingredients, declare its contents either in mass or volume, functions, followed by their name or E number and must pass the safety tests conducted by highly recognized agency if they had fulfill the criteria laid down in regulation. The majority of food additives appear to be safe.
There is no doubt that food additives are important and had played an important role in our lives. The commonly used food additives are preservatives, antioxidants, flavourings, stabilizers, thickeners and colourings. These different kinds of food additives function in many different ways. The functions of these food additives will be discussed in more detail in this assignment. Preservative Preservatives are substances added to food to slow down or prevent spoiling due to the growth of bacteria or fungi, so that the food can be kept longer. It only inhibits bacterial growth, but not killing them. Preservatives can be divided into two groups, natural preservatives and artificial preservatives. Examples of natural preservatives are salt, sugar and vinegar while the artificial preservatives are sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, sulphur dioxide and many more. Salt and sugar are the main preservatives used for many years that helped housewives to preserve their foods. Salt and sugar were used to draw the water out of the cells of bacteria or a fungus, thus preventing their growth (Branen et al, 2002; Heldman, 2003; Saunders, 1988).Vinegar is also a common food additive helper mostly preferred by people in their regular basis. It provides an acidic condition of 4 to 5 percent that inhibits the growth of bacteria or fungi (Branen et al, 2002; Heldman, 2003; Saunders, 1988). Sodium nitrate (E251), sodium nitrite, benzoic acid (E210), sodium benzoate (E211) and sulphur dioxide (E220) are artificial preservatives that were approved by EU. All of them will slow down the growth of microorganisms and used as a preservative and color fixative in cured meats and poultry (Branen et al, 2002). Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite was mostly found in burger, sausage, bacon and other related meat products. Benzoic acid and sodium benzoate were found in chili sauce, tomato sauce and oyster sauce while sulphur dioxide was found in fruit juice, corn syrup or wine (Heldman, 2003). However, most of these artificial preservatives can cause a huge impact in health problems. Sulphur dioxide may trigger asthma and allergies in certain people. Sodium nitrite may cause
Since the dawn of time, humans had using several simpler and yet natural food preservation techniques such as preserving meat using salt, or immersing onions and cucumber in a jar of vinegar to keep the food fresh and last longer. The method of preserving food had been evolved over a significant period of time. (Heldman, 2003) Food additives are either a natural or synthetic substances which was added intentionally to food to improve the taste and the appearance or to store longer period of time for later consumption. Food additives are included inside most of the things we eat.
Technology has advanced over time that humans had invented different kind of artificial food additives. Food additives have increased its uses and consist of different kind of chemical properties. Today, there are more than 2500 different food additives are added into foods to enhance the taste of the food and ensure food lasts longer (Branen, 2002).The use of the food additives had strike up some controversy because there are some health problems caused by some food additives will mostly affect a person who has allergic to certain types of food additives. The food additives might alter its functions when it consumed too much. To prevent the misuse of the food additives, there are some methods of prevention carried out by concerned administrations. Food and Drug or Health and Welfare administrations in most countries will be regulate the use of food additives to prevent them affect our health. E numbers are codes for substances which can be used as food additives for use within the European Union and Switzerland (the “E” stands for “Europe”) as they are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. …show more content…
(Gates, 2010) The legislation requires the food to be labeled in the list of ingredients, declare its contents either in mass or volume, functions, followed by their name or E number and must pass the safety tests conducted by highly recognized agency if they had fulfill the criteria laid down in regulation. The majority of food additives appear to be safe.
There is no doubt that food additives are important and had played an important role in our lives. The commonly used food additives are preservatives, antioxidants, flavourings, stabilizers, thickeners and colourings. These different kinds of food additives function in many different ways. The functions of these food additives will be discussed in more detail in this assignment. Preservative Preservatives are substances added to food to slow down or prevent spoiling due to the growth of bacteria or fungi, so that the food can be kept longer. It only inhibits bacterial growth, but not killing them. Preservatives can be divided into two groups, natural preservatives and artificial preservatives. Examples of natural preservatives are salt, sugar and vinegar while the artificial preservatives are sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, sulphur dioxide and many more. Salt and sugar are the main preservatives used for many years that helped housewives to preserve their foods. Salt and sugar were used to draw the water out of the cells of bacteria or a fungus, thus preventing their growth (Branen et al, 2002; Heldman, 2003; Saunders, 1988).Vinegar is also a common food additive helper mostly preferred by people in their regular basis. It provides an acidic condition of 4 to 5 percent that inhibits the growth of bacteria or fungi (Branen et al, 2002; Heldman, 2003; Saunders, 1988). Sodium nitrate (E251), sodium nitrite, benzoic acid (E210), sodium benzoate (E211) and sulphur dioxide (E220) are artificial preservatives that were approved by EU. All of them will slow down the growth of microorganisms and used as a preservative and color fixative in cured meats and poultry (Branen et al, 2002). Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite was mostly found in burger, sausage, bacon and other related meat products. Benzoic acid and sodium benzoate were found in chili sauce, tomato sauce and oyster sauce while sulphur dioxide was found in fruit juice, corn syrup or wine (Heldman, 2003). However, most of these artificial preservatives can cause a huge impact in health problems. Sulphur dioxide may trigger asthma and allergies in certain people. Sodium nitrite may cause