kayla pietig are food additives safe?. what exactly is a food additive? technically a food additive...
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Kayla Pietig
Are Food Additives Safe?
What exactly is a food additive?Technically a food additive is anything that
you add to your food!
Legally…
The Legal DefinitionLegally, the term refers to "any
substance where the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result -- directly or indirectly -- in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food." This definition includes any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation or storage of food.
Think about this….
Can you name a food additive?
Why do we even use additives?Uses:
Safety and FreshnessNutritional ValueImprove Food Quality
Regulation of food additivesThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
has the primary and legal responsibility for approving food additives as “safe”. Today food and color additives are more
regulated and monitored than anytime in the past.
What does the FDA consider when approving additives?
Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)
GRAS is a label that the FDA uses to describe various products that are added to our foodItems on the GRAS list are scientifically proven
to be safeIf not approved for GRAS the FDA takes action
to prevent the distribution of the product
Product must be proven safe for the intended use before they are allowed to be on the market
Food Additive Types:Direct food additives
Indirect food additives
Color Additives
What are color additives?Certified colorsColors that are exempt from certification
What are Color Additives Used For?
What are color additives used for?• Offset color loss• Correct color variations and add enhancements• To make foods more “fun”
Common Additives You May Have Heard About…
Ingredient Type Purpose Seen on the Label As
Preservatives Prevent food spoilage and slow changes in color, texture, and flavor
sodium benzoate, calcium propionate, sodium nitrite, potassium sorbate, BHA, BHT
Flavors and Spices Add natural and synthetic flavors
Natural flavoring, artificial flavor, spices, Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Fat Replacers Provide mouthfeel, flavor, and texture to replace the fat in low-fat or fat-free foods
Olestra, cellulose gel, carrageenan. modified food starch, guar gum, xanthan gum, whey protein concentrate
Stabilizers, thickeners, texturizers
Provide texture and mouthfeel
Gelatin, pectin, guar gum, carrageenan, xanthan gum, whey
How are ingredients listed on the label?
Manufacturers are required to list all ingredients on the package labelProduct order
Greatest amount to the least amount
How Ingredients are listedDescriptionUse
Commonly Researched AdditivesAmaranth
Tartrazine
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite
Amaranth
Amaranth is a general term that refers to a whole family of herbsThe “Hopi Red Dye” was originally used by the Native American
tribe , the Hopi for a deep red dye
Today we know it better as FD&C Red No. 2
Uses
The “Red Scare”
Amaranth…
A study was conducted to determine the possible carcinogenic affects of the color additive Amaranth
Done with miceMice were given a dose of 200 or 1000
mg/kg body weightExamined the mice gut and feces after
given the dose of amaranth
Study Results…
Is Amaranth Safe??
Study Conclusions…Supported amaranth as a safe additive
Amaranth is considered a non mutagenic substance
Amaranth
Amaranth is still used in Canada and Europe today.
Despite research studies that support Amaranth as a safe additive the FDA banned its use in the United States based on the concept that the additive could possibly not be safe!
TartrazineAlso known as FD & C Yellow No. 5, C.I. No.
19140, and Food Yellow No. 4
Orange/yellow powder that will dissolve in water
Uses
Tartrazine Study“Effects of tartrazine on exploratory
behavior in a three-generation toxicity study in mice”
Study done with mice
Study ResultsThe levels of tartrazine that where used in
this study did produce a few side-effects on neurobehavior through the generations of mice.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Uses
Carcinogen or Anti-Carcinogen??
BHA as a Carcinogen
BHA as a carcinogen research…Study done to determine the relationship
between BHA and bladder cancer and cancer of the forestomach in mice
Study to determine BHA carcinogenic affects in Japanese House Shrews
Study ResultsIncreased cell growth and cancer in the
forestomach of miceIncreased cell growth in the lungs
Anti-Carcinogenic Affects of BHA
When given in large doses BHA may be a possible anticarcinogen
Still needs more research to confirm the claim
No definite answer!
BHACarcinogen vs. anti-carcinogen
We do not fully understand how BHA works in both situations!Still need more research
What can we believe about BHA?No specific answerCurrently it is an approved additive that has
been found to be safe by the FDA
Sodium Nitrite & Sodium Nitrate
What do you think?Is the research supporting the
safety of additives trustworthy and reliable?
Regulation of food additives
Once the additive is found safe and is approved:
1. The FDA issues regulations2. Consultation with the USDA3. Continued monitoring of the recently
approved additive
The Delaney Clause An amendment to the Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act of 1938First Applied to the use of pesticides, but was
later removed from the Delaney Clause when and amendment was added to the Food Quality and Protection Act
Current appears in the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic ActSection 409- on food additivesSection 721- on color additives
What do you think?
Do you think that the FDA current system in approving and monitoring food and color additives is adequate?
Do you think that they need more information, or need to provide more information about food additives on the label?
How Can Consumers Find Information on Additive Safety?Find information on what the FDA approves
for food additives and which additives are on the GRAS list, visit:
www.fda.gov
What Does the Research Say?There is research available that support
certain additives as a carcinogenic agent and there are also studies that show some additives are completely safe and could also have anti-cancer affects.
Take Home Message
Food additives have been in use since medieval times as a way to preserve food and prevent spoilage.
Technological advances has allowed us to find new ways to preserve our foods while also adding flavor, color, and creating a desirable mouthfeel.
Food additives are in a majority of products we can consume and are currently regulated by the FDA for product safety.
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