Preservatives and Food Additives;

Harmless or Harmful?

Noura Alnasser

What does a natural ingredient/ food really mean?

Below is the definit ion of real whole food, described by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency:

"A natural food or ingredient of a food is not expected to contain, or to ever have contained, an added vitamin, mineral nutrient, artificial flavouring agent or food additive. A natural food or ingredient of a food does not have any constituent or fraction thereof removed or significantly changed, except the removal of water" (CCS 2010).

The descript ion goes on to say ; Note that some food additives, vitamins and mineral nutrients may be derived from natural sources. Some of these additives may be regarded as natural ingredients, in which case the acceptable claim would be that this food contains “natural ingredients ”(CCS 2010).

Using that definit ion, we start to think, "Does any of the food we eat even f it that descript ion?"

Preservatives Don’t have to be Bad

Oil, sugar, vinegar, salt and alcohol were all used and are still used to this day to successfully prolong a products shelf life. Other methods such as drying, cold storage and lactic fermentation are, were all used by our Grandma’s and perhaps even our parents today.

We have all associated preservatives as something negative, however, preservatives have been used for thousands of years. Families back in the day would store meat by using salt. Freeze drying, pickling food, canning food were also very useful methods.

“So then, What makes food additives and

preservatives so controversial these days?” In the age of technology and mass production scientists can simply add cheap and effective chemicals in our food and then produce scientif ic evidence to prove that it is safe in small amounts.

Which raises the question; How much is ‘small amounts’? What are the long term health effects ?Are all of these food additives in my food even necessary ?

Many of the food additives have been linked to ADHD in children, increasing the risk or cancer, kidney disease, allergies and hormone imbalance to name a few.

Why is this in my food? Preservatives and Addit ives

are commonly used for two reasons. The f irst being the obvious; is to preserve food; keep it in its original form and to extend its shelf l i fe. The second being; to make the food seem appealing by giving i t more color, or by enhancing the taste to give it more f lavour.

There are many different types chemicals used in our food. We have all seen them on our ingredient l ists when grocery shopping, and they are often the words we cant pronounce.

This is so confusing !There are hundreds of opinions out there, but they can mainly be categorized into two groups

Food addit ives harmful

The concept is; the generations before us haven't nearly faced as many problems we are facing today in terms of obesity, cancer, and the millions of other diseases and health problems out there. Thus their eating habits were the right healthy habits.

Food Addit ives are Harmless

The concept is; Scientists go out of their way to insure that what we are eating is safe and will not cause any long term effects of any kind.

For this reason; there are many mixed reviews surrounding this topic, all over the internet, and it is hard to decide what to believe.

Pure vs. Artificial

The term "pure" or "100% pure" can be used to modify an ingredient name appearing in the common name of a food such as "pure vegetable oil" or "pure

vegetable oil margarine". The claim can also be worded so that it refers specifically to a named ingredient in the food. The claim "made with pure corn oil with added preservative" implies that the corn oil used was pure, before the preservative was

added to the final product. (CCS 2010)

Quote taken from Canadian Food Inspection Agency website

The main reason why many consumers feel food additives are harmful is because of this.

What may look like bread is in fact:Whole grain wheat including the germ, water, whole grain blend, Sugar/Glucose, Yeast, raisin syrup, wheat gluten, whole grain oats, fancy molasses, soluble raisin syrup (Raisin solids, Water), Salt, Vegetable oil (Canola, or Soybean), Vinegar, Monoglycerides, Calcium Propionate, Sodium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate, Acetylated Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono and Digycerides.May Contain Soybean and Sulphates. [C1018]

Sample taken from Whole grain Bread

The big words on the ingredient list is very intimidating for many people, and the big, long, hard to pronounce, words make it seem like a chemistry lab.

This is what Bread is made from:1. 15g dried yeast 2. 1 Tbsp sugar 3. 750g strong white bread flour 4. 750g malted flour 5. 750ml lukewarm water 6. 1/2 Tbsp salt 7. 2 Tbsp oil (olive or sunflower) or 2 Tbsp

melted butter

That was back in the old days, when bread was actually bread.So here comes the question:

Why are all these big words on the ingredient l ist? Is the regular recipe for bread not good enough?

Here is when it gets nasty;

Modified milk ingredients, cheese (milk, modif ied milk ingredients, salt, bacteria culture, microbial enzymes, calcium chloride, colour lapis), Water, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phosphates, Maltodextrin, Carrageenan, Cellulose Gum, Lactic Acid, Colour, Sorbic Acid,May contain Sodium alginate, Ground mustard, Spice, and Corn starch

Sample taken from processed cheese.

The Different Types of Ingredients(

According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration

Preservatives Ex. Citric Acid, Calcium propionatePrevents food from spoiling

Thickeners, Stabilizers, texturizers

Ex. Gelatine, Xanthan Gum, Guar GumProduce uniform texture

Sweeteners Ex. Sucrose, Fructose, GlucoseAdds sweetness without extra calories

Gases Ex. Carbon dioxide, nitrous AcidServes as a propellant, creates carbonation

Colour Additives Ex. FD&C Nos. 1 and 2 Makes food look more appealing

Enzyme Preparations Ex. Rennet, Lactase, EnzymesModify proteins, polysaccharides, and fats

Flavour enhancers Ex. Monosodium Glutamate Enhance flavours already present

Firming Agents Ex. Calcium Chloride, Calcium LactateMaintains crispness and firmness

Fat Replacers Ex. Xanthan Gum, egg white protienKeeps taste and flavour in fat reduced foods

Yeast Nutrients Ex. Calcium Sulfate, ammonium phosphatePromotes growth of yeast

Added Nutrients Ex. Vitamin D, Amino Acids, Folic AcidReplaces nutrients loss during food processing

Humectants Ex. Glycerin, sorbitolRetain moisture

Emulsifiers Ex. Mono and diglycerides, egg yokesAllows smooth mixing, prevents separating

Flavours and Spices Ex. Natural flavours, artificial flavours, spicesAdds flavour to food

pH controlling Agents

Ex. Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium CarbonateControls acidity, and alkalinity

Leavening Agents Ex. Baking soda, monocalcium phosphatePromotes rising of baked goods

Okay.. So Which Ones Should I Stay Away From?

Up next are the most common food additives and preservatives in our food, their controversies, and the science behind it all.

Milk /Modified MilkWhat is the Difference?

As I was researching this, I found a quote that I would like to share;“If you’re lucky, the modified milk ingredient in your ice cream is simply powdered milk. More likely it’s casein (factory-extracted milk proteins), or whey proteins, or even a butter oil compound. The butter-oil compound, according to a recent CBC Marketplace report, is 49% butter-oil and 51% sugar.” (CCS 2010)

Not to mention all the hormones injected into the cows...makes you wonder if your still even drinking milk.

Quote taken from a Brooklin Naturopath website.

Xanthan Gum“Xanthan Gum is a microbial polysaccharide derived from the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris”

Phew! Now that was one hard sentence. As listed earlier, Xanthan gum falls under two functions; as a Thickener, Stabilizer, texturizer and a Fat replacer.

It can be used with or as a substitute for Gelatine and Guar Gum. This ingredient is considered safe, and there doesn’t seem to be any thing that suggests otherwise. Xanthan gum is great for people who are allergic to gluten. However there are some people who are allergic to Xanthan gum itself, and they may experience some mild symptoms upon digestion.

Artificial ColoursIt doesn't take much to realise that the word 'artificial' on a food label is equivalent to : Not good for you. However, not many people take the time to realise how really bad it is. Artificial colors are a derivative of Petrochemicals and Coal tar and some are even derived from insects (CCS 2010)! That does not sound in any way appetizing, and in any way healthy. Children are highly exposed to artificial colors and that comes as no surprise with all the commercials advertising fake fruit drinks, candy, and the millions of other junk we classify as ‘food' these days. There have also been many claims that artificial food colors can cause depression, anxiety, and is the main cause attention deficit disorder.

Instead of artificial coloring, why not use naturally occurring spices, that not only look great, but smell and taste great too. There are hundreds of spices from around the world that produce many wonderful colors, many of them can be purchases in your local grocery store. Spices like; Saffron, Turmeric, Batanin, Paprika, and red sandal wood are just a few of the many selections to choose from.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)Many of us have already heard a thing or two about MSG and most likely it was not some thing positive. MSG has a bad reputation these days, with many people questioning its' safety. However, According to the Heath Canada website, MSG has been studied world wide, biologists have conducted thorough research and have not found one shred of evidence linking obesity to consumption of MSG.The website goes on to further explain that; "Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of the naturally occurring amino acid, glutamic acid which makes up 10 to 25 % of all food protein, from both animal and vegetable sources. In addition to being an ingredient intentionally added to foods, glutamate occurs as a natural part of proteins, including vegetable and animal proteins." (CCS 2008)

There have been many claims of scientific evidence supporting the dangers of MSG, listing many side effects and long term health effects. A good book to read would be, Excitotoxins - The Taste That Kills by Russell L. Blaylock. This book highlights all the important facts you need to know about MSG and its effect on your body.

Monosodium Glutamate is also listed with different names such as:hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP), hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), hydrolyzed soy protein (HSP), soya sauce or autolysed yeast extracts.

Citric Acidcitrated calcium carbamide/ Sodium Citrate /

potassium citrate

Citric acid is naturally found in citrus fruits, and is used as a preservative. It is widely used in the world of the food industry, for balancing pH levels, enhancing flavouring, increasing the effectiveness of other preservatives present, and controlling sugar inversion. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, "citric acid is not a flavour but acts only as an acidulant when used in conjunction with natural flavours" (CCS 2010).

This ingredient is considered to be safe and is used in many products including; beverages, candy, shampoo’s and cleaning agents, and everything else you could possibly think of.

However some individuals may experience allergic reactions, and this comes as a great disadvantage due to its popularity.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

This one also has a very scandalous reputation , and it is also the most common added sweetener in processed foods and drinks (CCS 1998). With 55% Fructose, and 45% Glucose, it goes through a long process to reach the final product. Personally, I don’t know what to think about this sweetener, so I have added a video to let the experts share their opinion.

Wait, There’s moreo Calcium Propionate

Keeps bread and baked goods from spoiling by preventing mould and bacterial growtho Potassium Bromate

An additive that increases the volume and crumb of bread, is banned worldwide except in the U.S. and Japan. Considered carcinogenic

o Sodium NitriteMakes meat look red rather than gray, and gives meat an overly long shelf life of months. Clinically proven to cause leukemia, brain tumors and other forms of cancer.

o Benzoic Acid Inhalation affects nervous system and is moderately toxic by ingestion. Severe eye and skin irritant. Used as a food preservative and in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics

o Acesulfame K Sugar substitute found in pudding, chewing gum, non-dairy creamers, instant coffee mixes, tea mixes and gelatine desserts. May increase cancer in humans.

o SulfitesCan cause reactions in asthmatics, and lead to death. Sulphites are now banned on all foods except raw potatoes, wine and dried fruit.

Taken from Pure Zing.

ConclusionI do not know the future, nor do I claim that I know what will happen in the future, but some thing tells me that:

Twenty years from now, science will finally come to realise what we knew thousands of years ago.

When will we realise, home made food is healthier, tastier and just plain better? When will we realise that we pay the price for ‘convenience’ food with our health?

We will one day realise; what we are eating, was not really what we thought we were eating, but simply a copied image of the real thing.

References [CCS] 1998. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. What are the health concerns about high-fructose corn syrup?< http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fructose-corn-syrup/AN01588 > (November 21st 2010)

[CCS] 2010. Food Additives; Ameliorating the Flavors,Enriching the Food. Food coloring.<http://www.foodadditivesworld.com/articles/food-coloring.html> (November 17th 2010)

[CCS] 2010. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Ingredients and Colors< http://www.fda.gov/food/foodingredientspackaging/ucm094211.htm > (November 20th 2010)

[CCS] 2010. Wisegeek. What is Food Coloring Made of?<http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-food-coloring-made-of.htm> (November 17th 2010)

[CCS] 2010. Brooklin Naturopath. What are modified milk ingredients?<http://www.brooklinnaturopath.ca/photos/custom/webstuff/What%20are%20modified%20milk%20ingredients.pdf > (November 20th 2010)

[CCS] 2010. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Chapter 4 - Composition, Quality, Quantity and Origin Claims. <http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/guide/ch4ae.shtml#a4_10 > ( November 18th 2010)

[CCS] 2010. Pure Zing. List of the More Widely Known Dangerous Ingredients in Body & Food Products.< http://www.purezing.com/living/toxins/living_toxins_dangerousingredients.html> (November 21st 2010)

[CCS] 2010. New York Times; Fitness and Nutrient. Nutrition: MSG Use Is Linked to Obesity.< http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/health/nutrition/26nutr.html?_r=1 > (November 21st 2008)