Food additives are not a new invention. Since early times, there has been a need to preserve food from one harvest to another and to improve the presentation and nutritional value of food. Additives such as salt, spices, and sulfites have been used since ancient times to preserve foods and make them more palatable.
Why adding food additives?
*Food production separated from areas of population concentration –preservatives
*Added for functional properties –color, flavor, texture, nutritional supplements etc
*Convenience foods –foods whose preparation labor removed from household to processor or manufacturer. eg flour, can of beans or soups, cake mix, githeri, chapos, pizzas, etc
Technological advances in food processing have increased the variety and use of these additives. Today, more than 2500different additives are intentionally added to foods to produce a desired effect.
When the food is to be stored for a prolonged period, use of additives and preservatives is essential in order to maintain its quality and flavor. The excess water in the foods can cause the growth of bacteria, fungi and yeasts. Use of additives and preservatives prevents spoiling of the foods due to the growth of bacteria and fungi.
Many modern products, such as low-calorie, snack, and ready-to-eat convenience foods, would not be possible without food additives. Food additives and their metabolites are subjected to rigorous toxicological analysis prior to their approval for use in the industry.
Some of the commonly used food additives and preservatives are aluminum silicate, amino acid compounds, ammonium carbonates, sodium nitrate, propyl gallate, butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), monosodium glutamate, white sugar, potassium bromate, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, etc.
Basic concept of food additives
The primary goal of food is to promote our health and general well-being. Food science entails comprehending the characteristics, composition, and behaviors of food constituents in different situations, such as storage, handling, and consumption.
October 8, 2018
The Most Popular Posts
-
Crude fiber is a measure of the quantity of indigestible cellulose, pentosans, lignin, and other components of this type in present foods. ...
-
Ash or mineral content is the portion of the food or any organic material that remains after it is burned at very high temperatures. The a...
-
Crude fat is the term used to refer to the crude mixture of fat-soluble material present in a sample. Crude fat also known as the ether ext...
-
Gelatinization occurs when starch granules are heated in a liquid. It is responsible for the thickening of food systems. The process is an i...
-
Free and Bound Water Water is abundant in all living things and consequently, in almost all foods, unless steps have been take to remove it....
-
-
-
Most American today are overfed yet undernourished, which eventually leads to obesity and poor health. The answer to those pervasive problem is simply to ...