What are food additives?
Adding a small amount of additives to food can improve the color, taste, and texture of food, or improve food safety and extend the shelf life of food.
The role of food additives:
- Can inactivate bacterial growth in food to improve food safety and quality
- Prevent food from being oxidized and extend food storage period
- Improve the taste, color and texture of food
FSA Explains: Food additives
January 7, 2013
Food Additives (in Cantonese)
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Types and functions of food additives
Functional classification, common food additives include:
- Coloring
- Flavoring agents and flavor enhancers
- sweetener
- Emulsifiers and stabilizers
- preservative
- Antioxidants
Coloring
Functions of food coloring:
- Enhance the color of food to make it look more attractive and replenish pigments lost during food production and processing
- Maintain product color consistency from batch to batch
Use coloring (E120 Cochineal) in prepackaged ham
Flavoring agents and flavor enhancers
Functions of flavoring agents and flavor enhancers:
Enhance and improve the taste of food, such as:
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a familiar flavor enhancer
- Replenish flavor lost during food production and handling
Using a flavor enhancer in mustard (E621 sodium glutamate)
sweetener
Sweeteners add sweetness to foods
- Most sweeteners are sweeter than natural sugar
- A very small amount can enhance the sweetness of food and beverages
Sweeteners are low in calories and are often used in low-calorie foods, targeting dieters.
Common sweeteners include:
- Acesulfame K (E950 Acesulfame K)
- Asparagine (commonly known as aspartame) (E951 Aspartame)
- Saccharin (E954 Saccharin)
- Sucralose (E955 Sucralose)
In regular Coke, white sugar is used as the sweetener. In Diet Coke, aspartame (951), acesultone potassium (950) and sucralose (955) are used as sweeteners
Emulsifiers and stabilizers
The role of emulsifiers and stabilizers:
- Provides food with a smooth and consistent texture during processing and storage
- Helps mix substances that cannot be mixed under normal circumstances, such as water and oil
Examples of emulsifiers:
- The lecithin (lecithin) in egg yolk is a natural emulsifier that keeps water and oil mixed in the emulsion.
- In mayonnaise, the egg yolk acts as an emulsifier, preventing the oil and vinegar (which contain water) from separating.
Ingredients:
Soybean oil, water, eggs, vinegar, sugar, salt, egg yolks, natural seasonings (contains mustard), concentrated lemon juice, preservatives (E385), dried garlic, dried onions, spices.
Preservative
- Preservatives help prevent or slow down the growth of microorganisms
- Preservatives extend the shelf life of food and reduce food waste
Examples of preservatives:
- Salt, sugar and vinegar are commonly used preservatives in households
- Sulfur dioxide is used to prevent food from discoloring
- Nitrates and nitrites are used in cured meat products
Antioxidants
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants prevent food from spoiling due to oxidation, such as slowing down browning
Antioxidant uses:
- Prevent fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A and vitamin D), oils and fats from being oxidized by oxygen in the air, causing rancidity.
- Fat rancidity is the reaction between oxygen and fat that produces unpleasant, rancid odors and tastes
- Prevents fruits (such as apples and pears) from browning due to exposure to air
Examples of antioxidants:
- Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is one of the most widely used natural antioxidants
Ascorbic acid lemon juice inhibits enzymatic browning
Common preservatives and antioxidants:
- Sulfur dioxide and sulfites
sulfur dioxide
The role of sulfur dioxide:
- Antibacterial effect: Sulfur dioxide inhibits molds and bacteria, but not artificially cultivated yeasts
- Used as antioxidant: inhibits browning
Sulfur dioxide occurs in food in several chemical forms:
- Sulfur dioxide (E220)
- Sodium sulfite (E221)
- Sodium bisulfite (E222)
- Sodium metabisulfite (E223)
- Potassium metabisulfite (E224)
- Potassium sulfite (E225)
Sulfur dioxide is widely used in a variety of foods, such as:
- Used in dried fruits, pickled vegetables and meats to inhibit the growth of yeast and bacteria
- Slows the discoloration of meat, fruits and vegetables caused by oxidation
- Prevents further fermentation of sugar by residual microorganisms in the wine
What is fermentation?
Fermentation is when microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeast, break down sugar into alcohol or acid
Fermentation using yeast
Examples of foods with added sulfur dioxide and sulfites
Dried mango and apricots with added sulfur dioxide or sodium metabisulfite (E223)
Pickled vegetables with added sodium metasulfite and sulfite, and pickled peas with added sodium sulfite
Health risks to humans:
- Sulfur dioxide has low toxicity and generally does not cause adverse health effects
- Some people who are allergic to sulfur dioxide may experience symptoms such as asthma attacks, headaches and nausea.
- People with allergies should read the labels of prepackaged foods to avoid consuming certain preservatives that may cause allergies
Sulfur dioxide must not be used in fresh or chilled meat in Hong Kong
Sulfur dioxide can slow down the discoloration of meat caused by oxidation, thereby maintaining the color of meat.
Color changes of meat after exposure to air without and with added sulfur dioxide
Beef butchers illegally use sulfur dioxide
Beef butchers illegally use sulfur dioxide
Sulfite
Common preservatives and antioxidants: nitrates and nitrites
What are nitrates and nitrites?
- Nitrates are naturally occurring compounds
- Food manufacturers add nitrates and nitrites to meat products (such as sausage, ham, bacon, lunch meat) to preserve the red color and inhibit bacterial growth
Common nitrates and nitrites:
- Potassium nitrite (E249)
- Sodium nitrite (E250)
- Sodium nitrate (E251)
- Potassium nitrate (E252)
Ham and sausages with added sodium nitrite (E250)
Luncheon meat with added sodium nitrite
Health risks to humans:
- Nitrate itself is non-toxic, while nitrite has low acute toxicity and will not cause adverse effects on human health under normal consumption.
Long-term excessive nitrite intake may increase the risk of cancer:
- Nitrates or nitrites ingested from food are converted into nitrosamines in the intestines and stomach
- Nitrosamines are known carcinogens
Acetic acid
Acetic acid occurs in food in several chemical forms:
- Acetic acid (260)
- Vinegar (contains 4% acetic acid)
- Sodium acetate (262(i))
- Potassium acetate (261(i))
- Calcium acetate (263)
Used in mayonnaise and pickled foods to prevent the growth of microorganisms and contribute to the flavor of food
Sauce with added acetic acid (E260)
Vinegar used in mayonnaise, and pickled cucumbers with added vinegar and acetic acid
Fear of preservatives = fear of bad food producers
A question: "Would you rather eat beef without any food additives and preservatives or eat beef with food additives?"
The answers are all one-sided:
- "There is no reason not to eat beef that does not contain any food additives and preservatives!"
- "Of course I am willing to eat beef without any food additives or preservatives, especially for my children, for fear that it will be unhealthy!"
- "Normal people will choose food without food preservatives, because natural food is the safest, but in real life, it is absolutely impossible to have no preservatives!"
- "This question is like asking whether you would choose health and longevity or chronic suicide. Of course I choose the former."
- It can be seen that everyone does not trust food manufacturers, nor do they trust the guarantees of government health laws.
Food labeled "absolutely no preservatives" emerged
American McDonald's fast food restaurants all over the world also emphasize: No artificial preservatives. This may be the "wisdom" of our consumers, but will it be a "trend"? A kind of "distrust"? A kind of "contradiction" in modern life? Want to eat food without preservatives that won’t go bad and cause food poisoning?
Antioxidants are any substances added to food that can delay, slow down or prevent food from becoming rancid or tasting bad due to oxidation. Generally speaking, antioxidants are safer and have less impact on physical health. Vitamin C, for example, is a commonly used food additive to prevent spoilage. However, some research reports have found that excessive amounts of certain antioxidants added to food can increase the toxicity of carcinogens.
Expanding agent
Expanding agents can increase the voids in food, making it fluffy, soft, and crispy.
- Commonly used in steamed buns, bread, cakes and other foods.
- Common expansion agents can be mainly divided into two categories, biological expansion agents and chemical expansion agents.
- Bio-expansion agents rely on the fermentation of microorganisms that can produce carbon dioxide to expand the dough, and the main component is yeast.
- Chemical expansion agents are food additives and can be divided into two categories: alkaline expansion agents and compound expansion agents.
- Alkaline expanding agents such as "sodium bicarbonate", "ammonium bicarbonate", "sodium carbonate", etc.
- Composite expansion agent is mainly composed of carbonate, acid salt, starch and fatty acid. The expansion agent mostly contains potassium aluminum sulfate and sodium aluminum sulfate. If used excessively for a long time, the aluminum content may exceed the standard.
Advocate of eating "real food" not "food product"
Since this preservative, which existed in human prehistory, has caused trouble to modern people, advocates of "natural food" have begun to emerge. They advocate eating raw food instead of processed food, pickled foods and flavored foods. Some people even set up their own farms to grow organic fruits and vegetables and raise livestock. All food is self-sufficient and authentic, saying goodbye to food additives.
- The first step is to learn to read food labels
- The second step is lifelong learning
Food additive E number (E number)
"E" is the number of the food additive, followed by 3 numbers. The first number represents the different categories of food additives:
- 1=pigment
- 2=Preservatives
- 3=Antioxidants and acidity regulators
- 4=Thickeners, stabilizers and emulsifiers
- 5 = pH balance agent and anti-coagulant
- 6＝Flavor enhancers and MSG, etc.
- 7=other
Two ways of labelling food additives required by Hong Kong law
In 1983, the European Union adopted the E-number system and included hundreds of used additives in the permitted list. Only after its impact on human health has been tested can it be included in the E-coding system.
Once you understand the number or compound name that the food label tells you, the next step is to search online for information about the food additive, which may take a night, a week, or even a few months. Over time, you will become an expert in food additives and a "smart" consumer.
List of food additives 🔍
The international coding system does not include flavorings, chewing gum bases, and special dietary and nutritional additives.
In Hong Kong, not all chemicals listed in the International Coding System are approved for use in food. Food products should comply with the requirements of Part V of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Chapter 132 of the Laws of Hong Kong, and its subsidiary legislation.
What are carcinogens?
A carcinogen is a substance that directly causes cancer, such as:
Aflatoxins in contaminated peanuts may be linked to cirrhosis, tumors
Certain nitroso compounds, such as nitrosamines converted from nitrates, may be associated with gastric cancer
Fact? Fallacy?
- Many countries use nitrates as fertilizers
- Nitrates are naturally present in vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli
- Improper storage of cooked vegetables can lead to overgrowth of microorganisms and the accumulation of nitrites
In vegetables, nitrate is converted to nitrite:
- Vegetable enzymes can convert nitrate into nitrite
- Before and after vegetables are cooked, bacteria will accumulate nitrite during the reproduction process.
- Both fresh and cooked vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator
- Chopped vegetables should be cooked as soon as possible
- Blanch vegetables in boiling water
To reduce the conversion of nitrate into nitrite by enzymes or bacteria
Local legislation
According to Section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) of the food safety legislation, it is an offense to sell food that is unfit for human consumption.
Food manufacturers should prepare foods according to the "Principles for the Use of Food Additives" and do not abuse food additives.
Choose food additives carefully. Appropriate types and amounts of food additives should be selected in order to achieve the expected technological functions.
Hong Kong’s basic food legislation is contained in Part V of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132). Its provisions cover the general protection of food purchasers, offenses related to the sale of unfit for food and adulterated food, food composition and labelling. , Food hygiene, seizing and destroying food that is not suitable for consumption. The following subsidiary legislation of the Ordinance provides for control matters in specific areas.
Food Regulations/Guidelines
In fact, food additives are not monsters. There are currently more than 4,000 food additives allowed for use in foreign countries, including more than 1,000 spices. In fact, the legal and appropriate use of food additives does not necessarily hinder health, but can also keep food fresh and increase its taste. The real problem is that some food packages, although clearly marked with "zero added" or "no added", actually contain added ingredients. In other words, the so-called "zero additives" and "no additives" have become merchant propaganda tactics, which not only harms consumers' right to know, but also disrupts the order of competition in the food market.
In addition, we sincerely hope that in the future, relevant departments and institutions can do more to help people understand additives correctly. In addition to preparing leaflets, brochures and other teaching materials, they will also educate the public through websites, periodicals, lectures, exhibitions and other channels. and industry introduction to food additives and related laws, reminding the industry to ensure that all foods sold in Hong Kong are suitable for human consumption. As the public’s right to know, the government and law enforcement agencies should provide a more comprehensive introduction to the different types of preservatives, coloring matter, sweeteners, etc. The safety issues of food additives are open to the industry and the public. Perhaps it is still necessary to popularize the relevant knowledge of "food additives" to the public, in order to truly improve consumers' long-standing fear of buying artificial food additives. More importantly, the government needs to provide clear provisions and cooperate with relevant systems to strengthen the regulation of business practices and ensure that consumers can buy and eat with confidence.
Even if it says "zero added", it doesn't mean there are no additives. "Zero added" can easily mislead consumers.
No additives definition:
No additives ≠ zero addition
It originated from the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law formulated in 1960 by the cosmetics management department of Japan's Ministry of Health and Welfare (now the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare), which clearly stipulates that if 102 designated ingredients (such as preservatives, synthetic pigments, synthetic fragrances, fluorescent agents... etc.) must be marked on the product packaging. On the contrary, there is no need to disclose the contained ingredients, and the product can be labeled as "added-free" after passing the review. Since 2001, Japan has implemented a new law of "full ingredient labeling". As time goes by, various ingredients have been introduced, and there is a dazzling array of ingredients. The practice at that time is no longer applicable, and there is currently no precise definition of "no added".
At present, many products that are advertised as natural usually only contain certain natural ingredients or raw materials of natural origin. Considering factors such as convenience of use, enhanced efficacy, and cost control, most manufacturers still use petrochemical surfactants, preservatives, or bacteriostatic agents. and other chemically synthesized additives. Therefore, even if the word "natural" appears in the labeling, it does not mean "no additives."
If no illegal additives are added, it would be like saying "No Sudan Red Added" on the package of salted duck eggs. It should not appear in the product, let alone the packaging, because the product does not contain illegal additives. Additives are the responsibility and obligation of the manufacturer. And if "zero additives" refers to the absence of legal additives, this situation is even more interesting. The additives that are originally stipulated to be added are marked in capital letters and bold on the product as not added, which will cause misunderstandings to consumers, who think that these additives are not added. Additives are harmful.
Some merchant labels do not say that no specific substances are added, but simply state "no additives" in general, making people think that these are foods without any additives. For example, some foods do not need to add preservatives because they do not have an environment for spoilage microorganisms to "give birth", such as honey (high sugar), instant noodle cakes (dry), pickled foods (high salt), etc. Although these foods may not contain food additives such as preservatives, they may contain other food additives, which can be misleading to consumers.
"Added" does not mean it is unsafe
On the contrary, "zero-additives" food may have certain hidden dangers. For example, without preservatives, the food will spoil more easily, thus posing health risks. Should food be labeled with zero additives? It is unfair to other products to imply that it is safer. China has announced the latest revision of the "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling", which plans to prohibit the labeling of "no additives", "zero additives", "contains no" or similar words. The reason is that the labeling of "zero added" often becomes a commercial gimmick that outweighs the actual health significance.
Useful information:
Consumer's Guide to Food Additives
- Center for Food Safety - Frequently Asked Questions on Preservatives in Food
- Food Legislation / Guidelines in Hong Kong
- Food which may Contain Food Additive and theDescription and Proportion of Food Additive in Each Case 《Preservatives in Food Regulation in Hong Kong》
- FDA - Food Additive Status List
- Wikipedia - Food additives
