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Food Additives
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This article covers the safety food additives,
msg, sodium nitrites, emulsifiers, food preservatives, flavor enhancers,
thickening agents, safe food additives, food coloring
The text in the alphabetical list of additives is color coded as follows:
RED TEXT...Everyone should avoid. Unsafe in amounts consumed or is very poorly tested and not worth any risk.
BLUE TEXT...Cut back on this. Not toxic, but large amounts may be unsafe or promote bad nutrition,
May pose a risk and needs to be better tested. Try to avoid.
GREEN TEXT...appears safe to use.
ANTIOXIDANTS retard the oxidation of unsaturated fats and oils, colorings, and
flavorings. Oxidation leads to rancidity, flavor changes, and loss of color. Most of those
effects are caused by reaction of oxygen in the air with fats.
CARCINOGEN is a chemical or other agent that causes cancer in animals or humans.
CHELATING AGENTS trap trace amounts of metal atoms that would otherwise cause
food to discolor or go rancid.
EMULSIFIERS keep oil and water mixed together.
FLAVOR ENHANCERS have little or no flavor of their own, but accentuate the
natural flavor of foods. They are often used when very little of a natural ingredient is
present.
THICKENING AGENTS are natural or chemically modified carbohydrates that absorb
some of the water that is present in food, thereby making the food thicker. Thickening
agents "stabilize" factory-made foods by keeping the complex mixtures of oils,
water, acids, and solids well mixed.
Cancer Testing
Chemicals usually are tested for an ability to cause cancer by feeding large dosages to
small numbers of rats and mice. Large dosages are used to compensate for the small number
of animals that can be used (a few hundred is considered a big study, though it is tiny
compared to the U.S. population of 270 million). Also, the large dosages can compensate
for the possibility that rodents may be less sensitive than people to a particular
chemical (as happened with thalidomide).
Some people claim that such tests are improper
and that large amounts of any chemical would cause cancer. That is not true. Huge amounts
of most chemicals do not cause cancer. When a large dosage causes cancer, most
scientists believe that a smaller amount would also cause cancer, but less frequently. It
would be nice if lower, more realistic dosages could be used, but a test using low dosages
and a small number of animals would be extraordinarily insensitive.
It would also be nice
if test-tube tests not using any animals were developed that could cheaply and accurately
identify cancer-causing chemicals. While some progress has been made in that direction,
those tests have not proven reliable. Thus, the standard high-dosage cancer test on small
numbers of animals is currently the only practical, reasonably reliable way to identify
food additives (and other chemicals) that might cause cancer.
The Delaney Clause is an important part of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
That important consumer-protection clause specifically bans any additive that "is
found to induce cancer when ingested by man or animal." The food and chemical
industries are seeking to weaken or repeal that law.
Alphabetical Listing of Additives...don't
forget:
Green
text...appears safe
Blue
text...use with caution
Red text...Avoid
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ACESULFAME-K... Artificial
sweetener: Baked goods, chewing gum, gelatin desserts, soft drinks. |
This artificial sweetener, manufactured by Hoechst, a giant
German chemical company, is widely used around the world. It is about 200 times sweeter
than sugar. In the United States, for several years acesulfame-K (the K is the chemical
symbol for potassium) was permitted only in such foods as sugar-free baked goods, chewing
gum, and gelatin desserts. In July 1998, the FDA allowed this chemical to be used in soft
drinks, thereby greatly increasing consumer exposure.
The
safety tests of acesulfame-K were conducted in the 1970s and were of mediocre quality. Key
rat tests were afflicted by disease in the animal colonies; a mouse study was several
months too brief and did not expose animals during gestation. Two rat studies suggest that
the additive might cause cancer. It was for those reasons that in 1996 the Center for Science in the Public Interest urged the FDA to require better
testing before permitting acesulfame-K in soft drinks. In addition, large doses of acetoacetamide, a
breakdown product, have been shown to affect the thyroid in rats, rabbits, and dogs. Hopefully, the small amounts in food are not harmful.
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| ALGINATE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ALGINATE... Thickening agents, foam stabilizer: Ice cream, cheese,
candy, yogurt. |
Alginate, an apparently safe derivative of seaweed (kelp),
maintains the desired texture in dairy products, canned frosting, and other factory-made
foods. Propylene glycol alginate, a chemically-modified algin, thickens acidic foods (soda
pop, salad dressing) and can stabilize the foam in beer. |
ALPHA TOCOPHEROL
(Vitamin E) ... Antioxidant, nutrient: Vegetable oil. |
Vitamin E is abundant in whole wheat, rice germ, and vegetable
oils. It is destroyed by the refining and bleaching of flour. Vitamin E prevents oils from
going rancid. Recent studies indicate that large amounts of vitamin E may help reduce the
risk of heart disease and cancer. |
| ARTIFICIAL COLORINGS. |
Most artificial colorings are synthetic chemicals that do not occur in nature. Because colorings are used almost solely in foods of low nutritional value (candy, soda pop, gelatin desserts, etc.), you should simply avoid all artificially colored foods. In addition to problems mentioned below, colorings cause hyperactivity in some sensitive children. The use of coloring usually indicates that fruit or other natural ingredient has
not been used. |
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BLUE 1 ... Artificial coloring: Beverages, candy, baked goods. Inadequately tested; suggestions of a small cancer risk. |
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BLUE 2 ... Artificial coloring: Pet food, beverages, candy. The largest study suggested, but did not prove, that this dye caused
brain tumors in male mice. The FDA concluded that there is "reasonable certainty of
no harm." |
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CITRUS RED 2 ... Artificial coloring: Skin of some Florida oranges only. Studies indicated that this additive causes cancer. The dye does
not seep through the orange skin into the pulp. No risk except when eating peel. |
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GREEN 3 ... Artificial colorings: Candy, beverages. A 1981 industry-sponsored study gave hints of bladder cancer, but
FDA re-analyzed the data using other statistical tests and concluded that the dye was
safe. Fortunately, this possibly carcinogenic dye is rarely used. |
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RED 3 ... Cherries in fruit cocktail, candy, baked goods. The evidence that this dye caused thyroid tumors in rats is
"convincing," according to a 1983 review committee report requested by FDA.
FDA’s recommendation that the dye be banned was overruled by pressure from elsewhere in
the Reagan Administration. |
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RED 40 ... Artificial coloring: Soda pop, candy,
gelatin desserts, pastry, pet food, sausage. The most widely used food dye. While this is one of the most-tested food dyes, the key mouse tests were flawed and inconclusive. An FDA review committee acknowledged problems, but said evidence of harm was not "consistent" or "substantial." Like other dyes, Red 40 is used mainly in junk foods. |
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YELLOW 5 ... Artificial coloring: Gelatin dessert, candy, pet food, baked goods. The second most widely used coloring causes mild allergic
reactions, primarily in aspirin-sensitive persons. |
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YELLOW 6 ... Artificial coloring: Beverages, sausage,
baked goods, candy, gelatin. Industry-sponsored animal tests indicated that this dye, the third
most widely used, causes tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. In addition, small
amounts of several carcinogens contaminate Yellow 6. However, the FDA reviewed those data
and found reasons to conclude that Yellow 6 does not pose a significant cancer risk to
humans. Yellow 6 may also cause occasional allergic reactions. |
| ARTIFICIAL
AND NATURAL FLAVORING ... Flavoring: Soda pop, candy, breakfast cereals, gelatin
desserts, and many other foods. |
Hundreds of chemicals are used to mimic natural flavors; many
may be used in a single flavoring, such as for cherry soda pop. Most flavoring chemicals
also occur in nature and are probably safe, but they are used almost exclusively in junk
foods. Their use indicates that the real thing (often fruit) has been left out. Companies
keep the identity of artificial (and natural) flavorings a deep secret. Flavorings may
include substances to which some people are sensitive, such as MSG or HVP. |
| ASCORBIC ACID (Vitamin C), SODIUM ASCORBATE... Antioxidant, nutrient,
color stabilizer: Cereals, fruit drinks, cured meats. |
Ascorbic acid helps maintain the red color of cured meat and
prevents the formation of nitrosamines, which promote cancer (see SODIUM NITRITE). It
helps prevent loss of color and flavor by reacting with unwanted oxygen. It is used as a
nutrient additive in drinks and breakfast cereals. Sodium ascorbate is a more soluble form
of ascorbic acid. ERYTHORBIC ACID is very similar to ascorbic acid, but has no value as a
vitamin. Large amounts of ascorbic acid may reduce the severity of colds and offer other
health benefits. |
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ASPARTAME ....Artificial
sweetener: "Diet" foods, including soft drinks, drink mixes, gelatin
desserts, low-calorie frozen desserts, packets |
Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), a chemical combination of two amino acids and methanol, was thought to be the perfect artificial sweetener, but questions arose about whether it might cause cancer or neurological problems.
A 1970s study suggested that aspartame caused brain tumors in rats. However, the Food and Drug Administration persuaded an independent review panel to reverse its conclusion that aspartame was unsafe. The California Environmental Protection Agency and others have urged that independent scientists do new animal studies to resolve the cancer question. In 2005, the first such study was released. It found that even low doses of aspartame increased the incidence of lymphomas and leukemias in female rats and also might have caused occasional brain tumors. However, in 2006, National Cancer Institute researchers studied a large number of adults 50 to 69 years of age. Over a five-year period, there was no evidence that aspartame posed any risk. That allays some of the concerns, but the human study was limited in two regards: It did not iinvolve truly elderly people (the rat study monitored the rats until they died a natural death), and it was not a controlled study-the subjects provided only a rough estimate of their aspartame consumption, and people who consumed aspartame might have had other dietary or lifestyle differences that obscured the chemical's effect on cancer. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that aspartame is probably safe, but it would make sense to consume only small amounts or no aspartame.
Some people have reported dizziness, hallucinations, or headache after drinking aspartame-containing diet soda, and one independent study confirmed that aspartame can cause headaches in sensitive individuals. Obviously, any people who think they have been affected by aspartame should avoid it. Also, the few people with the rare disease PKU (phenylketonuria) need to avoid it.
There is some evidence that this and other artificial sweeteners help people lose weight. However, drinking a diet soda at lunch does not mean it is okay to have a larger dessert at dinner. Artificial sweeteners are clearly not magic bullets to vanquish obesity: Since 1980, consumption of artificial sweeteners and rates of obesity have both soared, but those sweeteners certainly might aid some strong-willed dieters.
Finally, be wary of claims scattered around the Internet that aspartame is responsible for a wide range of diseases. Most such claims are not supported by any good studies. |
| BETA-CAROTENE ... Coloring; nutrient: Margarine,
shortening, non-dairy whiteners. |
Beta-carotene is used as an artificial coloring and a nutrient
supplement. The body converts it to Vitamin A, which is part of the light-detection
mechanism of the eye and which helps maintain the normal condition of mucous membranes.
Large amounts of beta-carotene in the form of dietary supplements increased the risk of
lung cancer in smokers and did not reduce the risk in non-smokers. Smokers should
certainly not take beta-carotene supplements, but the small amounts used as food additives
are safe. |
| BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL (BVO)
... Emulsifier, clouding agent: Soft drinks. |
BVO keeps flavor oils in suspension and gives a cloudy appearance
to citrus-flavored soft drinks. Eating BVO leaves small residues in body fat; it is
unclear whether those residues pose any risk. Fortunately, BVO is not widely used. |
| BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE (BHA) ... Antioxidant: Cereals chewing gum,
potato chips, vegetable oil. |
BHA retards rancidity in fats, oils, and oil-containing foods.
While most studies indicate it is safe, some studies demonstrated that it caused cancer in
rats. This synthetic chemical can be replaced by safer chemicals (e.g., vitamin E), safer
processes (e.g., packing foods under nitrogen instead of air), or can simply be left out
(many brands of oily foods, such as potato chips, don’t use any antioxidant). |
| BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE (BHT)
... Antioxidant: Cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, oils, etc. |
BHT retards rancidity in oils. It either increased or decreased
the risk of cancer in various animal studies. Residues of BHT occur in human fat. BHT is
unnecessary or is easily replaced by safe substitutes (see discussion of BHA). Avoid it
when possible. |
| CAFFEINE
... Stimulant: Naturally occurring in coffee, tea, cocoa, coffee-flavored yogurt and
frozen desserts. Additive in soft drinks, gum, and waters. |
Caffeine is the only drug that is present naturally or added to
widely consumed foods (quinine is the other drug used in foods). It is mildly addictive,
one possible reason that makers of soft drinks add it to their products. Many coffee
drinkers experience withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, irritability, sleepiness, and
lethargy, when they stop drinking coffee. Because caffeine increases the risk of
miscarriages (and possibly birth defects) and inhibits fetal growth, it should be avoided
by women who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant. It also may make it harder to
get pregnant (but don’t use it as a birth-control pill!). Caffeine also keeps many people
from sleeping, causes jitteriness, and affects calcium metabolism. The caffeine in a cup
or two of coffee is harmless to most people. But if you drink more than a couple of cups
of coffee or cans of caffeine-containing soda per day, experience symptoms noted above,
are at risk of osteoporosis, or are pregnant, you should rethink your habit. |
| CALCIUM (or SODIUM) PROPIONATE ... Preservative: Bread, rolls, pies,
cakes. |
Calcium propionate prevents mold growth on bread and rolls. The
calcium is a beneficial mineral; the propionate is safe. Sodium propionate is used in pies
and cakes, because calcium alters the action of chemical leavening agents. |
| CALCIUM (or SODIUM) STEAROYL
LACTYLATE ... Dough conditioner,
whipping agent: Bread dough, cake fillings, artificial whipped cream, processed egg
whites. |
These additives strengthen bread dough so it can be used in
bread-making machinery and help produce a more uniform grain and greater volume. They act
as whipping agents in dried, liquid, or frozen egg whites and artificial whipped cream.
SODIUM STEAROYL FUMARATE serves the same function. |
| CARMINE;
COCHINEAL EXTRACT ... Artificial coloring. |
Cochineal extract is a coloring extracted from the eggs of the
cochineal beetle, which lives on cactus plants in Peru, the Canary Islands, and elsewhere.
Carmine is a more purified coloring made from cochineal. In both cases, the actual
substance that provides the color is carminic acid. These colorings, which are extremely
stable, are used in some red, pink, or purple candy, yogurt, Campari, ice cream,
beverages, and many other foods, as well as drugs and cosmetics. These colorings have
caused allergic reactions that range from hives to life-threatening anaphylactic shock. It
is not known how many people suffer from this allergy. The Food and Drug Administration
should ban cochineal extract and carmine or, at the very least, require that they be
identified clearly on food labels so that people could avoid them. Natural or synthetic
substitutes are available. A label statement should also disclose that, Carmine is
extracted from dried insects so that vegetarians and others who want to avoid animal
products could do so. |
| CARRAGEENAN ... Thickening and stabilizing agent:
Ice cream, jelly, chocolate milk, infant formula. |
Carrageenan is obtained from seaweed. Large amounts of
carrageenan have harmed test animals’ colons; the small amounts in food are safe. |
| CASEIN, SODIUM CASEINATE ... Thickening and whitening agent: Ice
cream, ice milk, sherbet, coffee creamers. |
Casein, the principal protein in milk, is a nutritious protein
containing adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids. People who are allergic to casein should read food labels carefully, because the additive is used in some “non-dairy” and “vegetarian” foods. |
| CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE ... Acid, flavoring, chelating agent: Ice
cream, sherbet, fruit drink, candy, carbonated beverages, instant potatoes. |
Citric acid is versatile, widely used, cheap, and safe. It is an
important metabolite in virtually all living organisms and is especially abundant
naturally in citrus fruits and berries. It is used as a strong acid, a tart flavoring, and
an antioxidant. Sodium citrate, also safe, is a buffer that controls the acidity of
gelatin desserts, jam, ice cream, candy, and other foods. |
| COCHINEAL EXTRACT: see CARMINE | |
| CORN SYRUP (read more) ... Sweetener, thickener: Candy, toppings,
syrups, snack foods, imitation dairy foods. |
Corn syrup,which consists mostly of dextrose, is a sweet, thick
liquid made by treating cornstarch with acids or enzymes. It may be dried and used as corn
syrup solids in coffee whiteners and other dry products. Corn syrup contains no
nutritional value other than calories, promotes tooth decay, and is used mainly in foods
with little intrinsic nutritional value. |
| CYCLAMATE ... Artificial sweetener: Diet foods. |
This controversial high-potency sweetener was used in the United
States in diet foods until 1970, at which time it was banned. Animal studies indicated
that it causes cancer. Now, based on animal studies, it (or a byproduct) is believed not
to cause cancer directly, but to increase the potency of other carcinogens and to harm the
testes. |
| DEXTROSE (read more) ... Sweetener, coloring agent: Bread,
caramel, soda pop, cookies, many other foods |
Dextrose is an important chemical in every living organism. A
sugar, it is a source of sweetness in fruits and honey. Added to foods as a sweetener, it
represents empty calories and contributes to tooth decay. Dextrose turns brown when heated
and contributes to the color of bread crust and toast. Americans consume about 25 pounds
per year of dextrose -- and a total of about 150 pounds per year of all refined sugars. |
| DIACYLGLYCEROL ... cooking oil |
This is the diglyceride part of the long-used emulsifier, mono- and diglycerides. The manufacturer claims that it can help people lose weight and reduce triglyceride levels. |
| EDTA ... Chelating agent: Salad dressing, margarine, sandwich spreads,
mayonnaise, processed fruits and vegetables, canned shellfish, soft drinks. |
Modern food-manufacturing technology, which involves rollers,
blenders, and containers made of metal, results in trace amounts of metal contamination in
food. EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) traps metal impurities, which would
otherwise promote rancidity and the breakdown of artificial colors. It is safe. |
ERYTHORBIC ACID ... Antioxidant, color stabilizer: Cured
meats.
see ASCORBIC ACID above. | |
| FERROUS GLUCONATE ... Coloring, nutrient: Black olives. |
Used by the olive industry to generate a uniform jet-black color
and in pills as a source of iron. Safe. |
FOOD-STARCH, MODIFIED
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see STARCH, MODIFIED below. |
| FRUCTOSE ... Sweetener: "health" drinks and other products |
Fructose (also called levulose) is a sugar that is a little sweeter than table sugar. Modest amounts of fructose occur naturally in fruits and vegetables, which also contain other sugars. When table sugar is digested, it breaks down into equal amounts of fructose and glucose (dextrose). Another major source of fructose in the typical diet is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which typically contains about half fructose and half glucose. Modest amounts of fructose are safe and do not boost blood glucose levels, making the sweetener attractive to diabetics. However, large amounts increase triglyceride (fat) levels in blood and, thereby, increase the risk of heart disease. |
| FUMARIC ACID ... Tartness agent: Powdered drinks,
pudding, pie fillings, gelatin desserts. |
A solid at room temperature, inexpensive, highly acidic, fumaric
acid is the ideal source of tartness and acidity in dry food products. However, it
dissolves slowly in cold water, a drawback cured by adding DIOCTYL SODIUM SULFOSUCCINATE
(DSS), a detergent-like additive that appears to be safe. |
| GELATIN ... Thickening and gelling agent: Powdered
dessert mixes, yogurt, ice cream, cheese spreads, beverages. |
Gelatin is a protein obtained from animal hides and bones. It has
little nutritional value, because it contains little or none of several essential amino
acids. |
| GLYCERIN (GLYCEROL) ... Maintains water content: Marshmallows,
candy, fudge, baked goods. |
In nature, glycerin forms the backbone of fat and oil molecules.
The body uses it as a source of energy or as a starting material in making more-complex
molecules. |
| GUMS:
Arabic, Furcelleran, Ghatti, Guar, Karaya, Locust Bean, Tragacanth, Xanthan
... Thickening agents, stabilizers: Beverages, ice cream, frozen pudding, salad
dressing, dough, cottage cheese, candy, drink mixes. |
Gums are derived from natural sources (bushes, trees, seaweed,
bacteria) and are poorly tested, though probably safe. They are not absorbed by the body.
They are used to thicken foods, prevent sugar crystals from forming in candy, stabilize
beer foam (arabic), form a gel in pudding (furcelleran), encapsulate flavor oils in
powdered drink mixes, or keep oil and water mixed together in salad dressings. Gums are
often used to replace fat in low-fat ice cream, baked goods, and salad dressings.
Tragacanth has caused occasional severe allergic reactions. |
| HEPTYL PARABEN ... Preservative: Beer, non-carbonated soft
drinks. |
Heptyl paraben -- short for the heptyl ester of
para-hydroxybenzoic acid -- is a preservative. Studies suggest that this rarely used
additive chemical is safe, but it, like other additives in alcoholic beverages, has never
been tested in the presence of alcohol (such as in animals weakened by long-term
consumption of alcohol). |
HIGH-FRUCTOSE
CORN SYRUP (read more) ... Sweetener: Soft drinks, other processed foods. |
Corn syrup can be treated with enzymes to convert some of its
dextrose to fructose, which results in High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). HFCS has largely
replaced ordinary sugar used in soft drinks and many other foods because it is cheaper.
Americans consume about 59 pounds per year of HFCS (and a total of 150 pounds per year of
all refined sugars). |
| HYDROGENATED STARCH HYDROLYSATE (HSH)
... Sweetener: Dietetic and reduced-calorie foods. |
HSH, like sorbitol, is slightly sweet and poorly absorbed by the body. Like sorbitol, and other sugar alcohols, eating significant amounts of HSH may cause intestinal gas and diarrhea. |
| PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL(read more) ... Fat, oil, shortening: Margarine, crackers,
fried restaurant foods, baked goods. |
Vegetable oil, usually a liquid, can be made into a semi-solid shortening by reacting it with hydrogen. Partial hydrogenation reduces the levels of polyunsaturated oils - and also creates trans fats, which promote heart disease. A committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that on a gram-for-gram basis, trans fat is even more harmful than saturated fat. Ideally, food manufacturers would replace hydrogenated shortening with less-harmful ingredients. The Institute of Medicine has advised consumers to consume as little trans fat as possible, ideally less than about 2 grams a day (that much might come from naturally processed trans fat in beef and dairy products).
Beginning in 2006, Nutrition Facts labels must list the amount of trans fat in a serving of food. That requirement spurred many companies, including Frito-Lay, Kraft, ConAgra, and others, to replace partially hydrogenated oil. Usually the substitutes are healthier and the total of saturated plus trans fat is no higher than it was. Where progress has been limited is restaurants. Most large chains and many smaller independent restaurants continue to fry in partially hydrogenated oil and their French fries, fried chicken, fried fish, and pot pies contain substantial amounts of trans fat. In Denmark, however, the government has virtually banned partially hydrogenated oil. In that country, as well as Australia and Israel, McDonald's fries in trans-free liquid vegetable oil. In 2004, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA to immediately require restaurants to disclose when they use partially hydrogenated oil and to begin the process of eliminating partially hydrogenated oil from the food supply.
Fully hydrogenated vegetable oil does not have any trans fat, but it also does not have any polyunsaturated oils. It is sometimes mixed (physically or chemically) with liquid oil to create trans-free shortening. When it is chemically combined with liquid oil, the ingredient is called inter-esterified vegetable oil. Meanwhile, oil processors are improving the hydrogenation process so that less trans fat forms.
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HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (HVP) ... Flavor enhancer: Instant soups, frankfurters, sauce mixes, beef stew.
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HVP consists of vegetable (usually soybean) protein that has been
chemically broken down to the amino acids of which it is composed. HVP is used to bring
out the natural flavor of food (and, perhaps, to enable companies to use less real food).
It contains MSG and may cause adverse reactions in sensitive individuals. |
| INVERT SUGAR (read more) ... Sweetener: Candy, soft drinks, many
other foods. |
Invert sugar, a 50-50 mixture of two sugars, dextrose and
fructose, is sweeter and more soluble than sucrose (table sugar). Invert sugar forms when
sucrose is split in two by an enzyme or acid. It provides "empty calories,"
contributes to tooth decay, and should be avoided. |
| LECITHIN ... Emulsifier,
antioxidant: Baked goods, margarine, chocolate, ice cream. |
A common constituent of animal and plant tissues, lecithin is a
source of the nutrient choline. It keeps oil and water from separating out, retards
rancidity, reduces spattering in a frying pan, and leads to fluffier cakes. Major natural
sources are egg yolk and soybeans. |
| LACTIC ACID ... Controls acidity: Spanish olives,
cheese, frozen desserts, carbonated beverages. |
This safe acid occurs in almost all living organisms. It inhibits
spoilage in Spanish-type olives, balances the acidity in cheese-making, and adds tartness
to frozen desserts, carbonated fruit-flavored drinks, and other foods. |
| LACTITOL ... Sweetener: candy, chocolates, baked goods, ice cream, and other sugar-free foods. |
Lactitol, like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol, is a sugar alcohol, also called a polyol. It is made from lactose, or milk sugar. Like other sugar alcohols, lactitol is not absorbed well by the body (which means it has fewer calories per gram than table sugar) and does not promote tooth decay. However, large amounts (above 20 to 30 grams) may cause loose stools or diarrhea. |
| LACTOSE ... Sweetener: Whipped topping
mix, breakfast pastry. |
Lactose, a carbohydrate found only in milk, is one of Nature’s
ways of delivering calories to infant mammals. One-sixth as sweet as table sugar, lactose
is added to food as a slightly sweet source of carbohydrate. Milk turns sour when bacteria
convert lactose to lactic acid. Many people, especially non-Caucasians, have trouble
digesting lactose. Bacteria in their guts may produce gas. |
| MALTITOL ... Sweetener: Candy, chocolates, jams, and other sugar-free foods. |
Maltitol, like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol, is a sugar alcohol, also called a polyol. It is made by hydrogenating maltose, which is obtained from corn syrup. Like other sugar alcohols, mannitol is not absorbed well by the body (which means it has fewer calories per gram than table sugar) and does not promote tooth decay. However, large amounts (above 20 to 30 grams) may have a laxative effect. |
| MANNITOL (read more) ... Sweetener, other
uses: Chewing gum, low-calorie foods. |
Not quite as sweet as sugar and poorly absorbed by the body, it
contributes only half as many calories as sugar. Used as the "dust" on chewing
gum, mannitol prevents gum from absorbing moisture and becoming sticky. Safe — except
that large amounts that are used in gum may have a laxative effect and even cause diarrhea. |
| MONO- and DIGLYCERIDES ...
Emulsifier: Baked goods, margarine, candy, peanut butter. |
Makes bread softer and prevents staling, improves the stability
of margarine, makes caramels less sticky, and prevents the oil in peanut butter from
separating out. Mono- and diglycerides are safe, though most foods they are used in are
high in refined flour, sugar, or fat. |
| MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG) ...
Flavor enhancer: Soup, salad dressing, chips, frozen entrees, restaurant foods. |
This amino acid brings out the flavor in many foods. While that
may sound like a treat for taste buds, the use of MSG allows companies to reduce the
amount of real ingredients in their foods, such as chicken in chicken soup. In the 1960s,
it was discovered that large amounts of MSG fed to infant mice destroyed nerve cells in
the brain. After that research was publicized, public pressure forced baby-food companies
to stop adding MSG to their products (it was used to make the foods taste better to
parents).
Careful studies have shown that some people are sensitive to MSG. Reactions
include headache, nausea, weakness, and burning sensation in the back of neck and
forearms. Some people complain of wheezing, changes in heart rate, and difficulty
breathing. Some people claim to be sensitive to very small amounts of MSG, but no good
studies have been done to determine just how little MSG can cause a reaction in the
most-sensitive people. To protect the public’s health, manufacturers and restaurateurs
should use less or no MSG and the amounts of MSG should be listed on labels of foods that
contain significant amounts. People who believe they are sensitive to MSG should be aware
that other ingredients, such as natural flavoring and hydrolyzed vegetable protein, also
contain glutamate. Also, foods such as Parmesan cheese and tomatoes contain glutamate that
occurs naturally, but no reactions have been reported to those foods. |
| MYCOPROTEIN ... Meat substitute: Quorn-brand foods. |
Mycoprotein, the novel ingredient in Quorn-brand frozen meat substitutes, is made from processed mold (Fusarium venenatum). Though the manufacturer’s (Marlow Foods) advertising and labeling implied that the product is "mushroom protein" or "mushroom in origin," the mold (or fungus) from which it is made does not produce mushrooms. Rather, the mold is grown in liquid solution in large tanks. It has been used in the United Kingdom since the 1990s and has also been sold in continental Europe. The chunks of imitation meat are nutritious, but the prepared foods in which they are used may be high in fat or salt. Several percent of consumers are sensitive to Quorn products, resulting in vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and, less often, hives and anaphylactic reactions. |
| NEOTAME ... Artificial sweetener: diet soft drinks and other diet foods. |
Neotame, produced by NutraSweet Co. (maker of aspartame), is about 8,000 times sweeter than table sugar and 40 times sweeter than aspartame. Neotame is chemically related to aspartame, but the difference confers greater chemical stability, enabling the new sweetener to be used in baked foods. It likely will be used mostly in low-calorie foods, but may also be used to adjust the flavor of other foods. It was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2002. |
| OLESTRA (read more) (Olean) ...
Fat substitute: Chips, crackers. |
Olestra is Procter & Gamble’s synthetic fat that is not absorbed
by the body, but runs right through. Procter & Gamble suggests that replacing regular
fat with olestra will help people lose weight and lower the risk of heart disease.
Olestra can cause diarrhea and loose stools, abdominal cramps, flatulence, and
other adverse effects. Those symptoms are sometimes severe.
Even more importantly, olestra reduces the body’s ability to absorb
fat-soluble carotenoids (such as alpha and beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and
canthaxanthin) from fruits and vegetables. Those nutrients are thought by many experts to
reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Olestra enables manufacturers to offer
greasy-feeling low-fat snacks, but consumers would be much better off with baked snacks,
which are perfectly safe and just as low in calories. Products made with olestra should not be called "fat free," because they contain substantial amounts of indigestible fat. |
| OLIGOFRUCTOSE ... Bulking agent, emulsifier, prebiotic: various foods |
Oligofructose, which is produced from chicory roots, consists of up to several dozen fructose molecules linked end to end. It is not absorbed in the small intestine, but is partly digested in the large intestine. This slightly sweet ingredient provides less than about half as many calories per gram as fructose or other sugar. Oligofructose promotes the growth of "good" bifidus bacteria. |
| PHOSPHORIC ACID; PHOSPHATES ... Acidulant, chelating agent, buffer,
emulsifier, nutrient, discoloration inhibitor: Baked goods, cheese, powdered foods,
cured meat, soda pop, breakfast cereals, dehydrated potatoes. |
Phosphoric acid acidifies and flavors cola beverages. CALCIUM
and IRON PHOSPHATES act as mineral supplements. SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE is a leavening
agent. CALCIUM and AMMONIUM PHOSPHATES serve as food for yeast in baking. SODIUM ACID
PYROPHOSPHATE prevents discoloration in potatoes and sugar syrups. While excessive
consumption of phosphates could lead to dietary imbalances that might contribute to
osteoporosis, only a small fraction of the phosphate in the American diet comes from
additives. Most comes from meat and dairy products. |
| PLANT STEROL ESTERS ... Cholersterol-lowering Additive: Margarine, other foods . |
These substances, which are extracted from pine trees, reduce the absorption of cholersterol from food and lower blood cholersterol levels. They are not toxic, but they may reduce the body's absorption of nutrients called carotenoids that are thought to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Used in Benecol-brand products (margarine, salad dressing, and others). |
| POLYDEXTROSE ... bulking agent: reduced-calorie salad dressings, baked goods, candies, puddings, frozen desserts |
Polydextrose is made by combining dextrose (corn sugar) with sorbitol. The result is a slightly sweet, reduced-calorie (only one calorie per gram because it is poorly digested) bulking agent. The FDA requires that if a serving of a food would likely provide more than 15 grams of polydextrose, the label should advise consumers that "Sensitive individuals may experience a laxative effect from excessive consumption of this product." |
| POLYSORBATE 60 .... Emulsifier: Baked goods, frozen desserts, imitation dairy
products. |
Polysorbate 60 is short for polyoxyethylene-(20)- sorbitan
monostearate. It and its close relatives, POLYSORBATE 65 and 80, work the same way as
mono- and diglycerides, but smaller amounts are needed. They keep baked goods from going
stale, keep dill oil dissolved in bottled dill pickles, help coffee whiteners dissolve in
coffee, and prevent oil from separating out of artificial whipped cream. |
| POTASSIUM BROMATE (read more) ... Flour improver:
Bread and rolls. |
This additive has long been used to increase the volume of bread
and to produce bread with a fine crumb (the not-crust part of bread) structure. Most
bromate rapidly breaks down to form innocuous bromide. However, bromate itself causes
cancer in animals. The tiny amounts of bromate that may remain in bread pose a small risk
to consumers. Bromate has been banned virtually worldwide except in Japan and the United
States. It is rarely used in California because a cancer warning might be required on the
label. In 1999, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA to ban bromate. |
| PROPYL GALLATE ... Antioxidant
preservative: Vegetable oil, meat products, potato sticks, chicken soup base, chewing
gum. |
Propyl gallate retards the spoilage of fats and oils and is often
used with BHA and BHT, because of the synergistic effects these preservatives have. The
best studies on rats and mice were peppered with suggestions (but not proof) that this preservative might cause cancer.
Avoid. |
| QUININE ... Flavoring: Tonic water, quinine water, bitter lemon. |
This drug can cure malaria and is used as a bitter flavoring in a
few soft drinks. There is a slight chance that quinine causes birth defects, so, to be on
the safe side, pregnant women should avoid quinine-containing beverages and drugs.
Relatively poorly tested. |
| QUORN (read more) ... |
see MYCOPROTEIN above |
| SACCHARIN (read more) ... Artificial sweetener: "Diet" products, soft drinks (especially fountain
drinks at restaurants), packets. |
Saccharin (Sweet ’N Low) is 350 times sweeter than sugar and is used
in dietetic foods or as a tabletop sugar substitute. Many studies on animals have shown that saccharin can cause
cancer of the urinary bladder. In other rodent studies, saccharin has caused cancer of the
uterus, ovaries, skin, blood vessels, and other organs. Other studies have shown that
saccharin increases the potency of other cancer-causing chemicals. And the best
epidemiology study (done by the National Cancer Institute) found that the use of
artificial sweeteners (saccharin and cyclamate) was associated with a higher incidence of
bladder cancer.
In 1977, the FDA proposed that saccharin be banned, because of studies
that it causes cancer in animals. However, Congress intervened and permitted it to be
used, provided that foods bear a warning notice. It has been replaced in many products by
aspartame (NutraSweet). In 1997, the diet-food industry began pressuring the U.S. and
Canadian governments and the World Health Organization to take saccharin off their lists
of cancer-causing chemicals. The industry acknowledges that saccharin causes bladder
cancer in male rats, but argues that those tumors are caused by a mechanism that would not
occur in humans. Many public health experts respond by stating that, even if that
still-unproved mechanism were correct in male rats, saccharin could cause cancer by
additional mechanisms and that, in some studies, saccharin has caused bladder cancer in mice and in female
rats and other cancers in both rats and mice.
In May 2000, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services removed saccharin from its list of cancer-causing chemicals. Later that year, Congress passed a law removing the warning notice that likely will result in increased use in soft drinks and other foods and in a slightly greater incidence of cancer. |
| SALATRIM (read more) ... Modified fat: baked
goods, candy. |
This manufactured fat (developed by Nabisco) has the physical
properties of regular fat, but the manufacturer claims it provides only about 5/9 as many
calories. Its use can enable companies to make reduced-calorie claims on their products.
Salatrim’s low calorie content results from its content of stearic acid, which the
manufacturer says is absorbed poorly, and short-chain fatty acids, which provide fewer
calories per unit weight.
Critics have charged that it does not provide as big a
calorie reduction as claimed by Nabisco. Moreover, only very limited testing has been done
to determine effects on humans. Eating small amounts of salatrim is probably safe, but
large amounts (30g or more per day) increase the risk of such side effects as stomach
cramps and nausea. No tests have been done to determine if the various food additives
(salatrim, olestra, mannitol, and sorbitol) that cause gastrointestinal symptoms can act
in concert to cause greater effects.
Nabisco declared salatrim safe and has marketed it, as the
law allows, without formal FDA approval. (Nabisco has since sold salatrim to another
company, Cultor.) In June 1998, the Center for Science in the Public Interest urged
the FDA to ban salatrim until better tests were done and demonstrated safety. |
| SALT (Sodium Chloride) ... Flavoring: Most processed foods, soup, potato chips, crackers. |
Salt is used liberally in many processed foods and restaurant meals. Other additives
contribute additional sodium. A diet high in sodium increases the risk or severity of high
blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Everyone should eat
less salt: avoid salty processed foods and restaurant meals, use salt sparingly, and enjoy other seasonings. |
| SODIUM BENZOATE ... Preservative:
Fruit juice, carbonated drinks, pickles, preserves. |
Manufacturers have used sodium benzoate for a century to prevent
the growth of microorganisms in acidic foods. |
| SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYL- CELLULOSE (CMC)
... Thickening and stabilizing agent; prevents sugar from crystallizing: Ice cream,
beer, pie fillings, icings, diet foods, candy |
CMC is made by reacting cellulose with a derivative of acetic
acid. Studies indicate it is safe. |
| SODIUM NITRITE, SODIUM NITRATE ...
Preservative, coloring, flavoring: Bacon, ham, frankfurters, luncheon meats, smoked
fish, corned beef. |
Meat processors love sodium nitrite because it stabilizes the red
color in cured meat (without nitrite, hot dogs and bacon would look gray) and gives a
characteristic flavor. Sodium nitrate is used in dry cured meat, because it slowly breaks
down into nitrite. Adding nitrite to food can lead to the formation of small amounts of
potent cancer-causing chemicals (nitrosamines), particularly in fried bacon. Nitrite,
which also occurs in saliva and forms from nitrate in several vegetables, can undergo the
same chemical reaction in the stomach. Companies now add ascorbic acid or erythorbic acid
to bacon to inhibit nitrosamine formation, a measure that has greatly reduced the problem.
While nitrite and nitrate cause only a small risk, they are still worth avoiding.
Several
studies have linked consumption of cured meat and nitrite by children, pregnant women, and
adults with various types of cancer. Although those studies have not yet proven that
eating nitrite in bacon, sausage, and ham causes cancer in humans, pregnant women would be
prudent to avoid those products.
The meat industry justifies its use of nitrite and nitrate by claiming that it prevents
the growth of bacteria that cause botulism poisoning. That’s true, but freezing and
refrigeration could also do that, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a
safe method using lactic-acid-producing bacteria. The use of nitrite and nitrate has
decreased greatly over the decades, because of refrigeration and restrictions on the
amounts used. The meat industry could do the public’s health a favor by cutting back even
further. Because nitrite is used primarily in fatty, salty foods, consumers have important nutritional reasons for avoiding nitrite-preserved foods. |
| SORBIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE ...
Prevents growth of mold: Cheese, syrup, jelly, cake, wine, dry fruits. |
Sorbic acid occurs naturally in many plants. These additives are
safe. |
| SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE ...
Emulsifier: Cakes, candy, frozen pudding, icing. |
Like mono- and diglycerides and polysorbates, this additive keeps
oil and water mixed together. In chocolate candy, it prevents the discoloration that
normally occurs when the candy is warmed up and then cooled down. |
| SORBITOL (read more) ... Sweetener,
thickening agent, maintains moisture. Dietetic drinks and foods, candy, shredded
coconut, chewing gum. |
Sorbitol occurs naturally in fruits and berries and is a close
relative of sugars. It is half as sweet as sugar. It is used many dietetic foods. It is used in non-cariogenic
(non-decay-causing) chewing gum because oral bacteria do not metabolize it well. Some
diabetics use sorbitol-sweetened foods because it is absorbed slowly and does not cause
blood sugar to increase rapidly. Moderate amounts of sorbitol may have a strong laxative effect and even cause diarrhea, but otherwise it is safe. |
| STARCH ... Thickening agent:
Soup, gravy. |
Starch, the major component of flour, potatoes, and corn, is used
in many foods as a thickening agent. However, starch does not dissolve in cold water.
Chemists have solved this problem by reacting starch with various chemicals to create
MODIFIED STARCHES (see next entry). |
| STARCH, MODIFIED ... Thickening agent: Soup, gravy, baby food. |
Modified starches are used in processed foods to improve their
consistency and keep the solids suspended. Starch and modified starches sometimes replace
large percentages of more nutritious ingredients, such as fruit. Choose baby foods without
added starches (starch-thickened baby foods have contained as little as 25 percent as much
of the fruit ingredients as 100-percent-fruit baby foods). One small study suggested that
modified starches can promote diarrhea in infants. |
| STEVIA (read more) ... Natural, high-potency sweetener: powdered dietary supplement. (Not approved as a food additive in the U.S., Canada, EC.) |
Stevia, which is about 100 times sweeter than sugar, is obtained from a shrub (yerba dulce) that grow in Brazil and Paraguay. The name of the actual sweet chemical is stevioside. The health-food industry advocates stevia extract as a safe alternative to synthetic sweeteners, like saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose. It is said to be widely used in Japan and several other countries. However, just because a substance is natural, does not mean that it is safe.
The U.S. FDA has rejected stevia (or stevioside) for use as a food additive. Likewise, Canada has not approved stevia, and a European Community scientific panel declared that stevia is unacceptable for use in food. Studies found that high dosages fed to rats caused reduced sperm production and an increase in cell proliferation in their testicles, which could cause infertility or other problems. When pregnant hamsters were fed large amounts of a derivative of stevioside called steviol, they had fewer and smaller offspring. In the laboratory, steviol can be converted into a mutagenic compound, which may promote cancer by causing mutations in the cells’ genetic material (DNA). In addition, very large amounts of stevioside can interfere with the absorption of carbohydrates in animals and disrupt the conversion of food into energy within cells. In sum, small amounts of stevia are probably safe, but it is inappropriate to endorse wide use of this sweetener. |
| SUCRALOSE ... Artificial sweetener:
Diet foods. |
Approved in the United States in 1998, sucralose — marketed as Splenda — is used in soft drinks, baked goods, ice cream, sweetener packets, and other products.
It previously had been used in Canada, Europe, and elsewhere. Sucralose is safer
than saccharin, acesulfame-K, and cyclamate. The manufacturer, McNeil
Nutritionals, advertises Splenda as being "made from sugar, so it tastes like
sugar." That statement may be literally true, but is misleading. In fact, the
sweetener is a synthetic chemical that is made by chemically reacting sugar
(sucrose) with chlorine. However, just because it is synthetic does not mean it
is unsafe. |
| SUGAR (SUCROSE) (read more) ... Sweetener: Table sugar, sweetened foods. |
Sucrose, ordinary table sugar, occurs naturally in fruit, sugar
cane, and sugar beets. Americans consume about 65 pounds of sucrose per year. That
figure is down from 102 pounds per year around 1970, but the decrease has been more than
made up for with HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP and DEXTROSE. About 156 pounds of all refined
sugars are produced per person per year, an increase of 28 percent since 1983.
Interestingly that’s just when the use of ASPARTAME started skyrocketing. In other words,
it appears that artificial sweeteners have not replaced sugar, but may have stimulated
America’s sweet tooth.
Sugar and sweetened foods may taste good and supply energy, but
most people eat too much of them. Sugar, corn syrup, and other refined sweeteners make up
16 percent of the average diet, but provide no vitamins, minerals, or protein. That means
that a person would have to get 100 percent of his or her nutrients from only 84 percent
of his or her food. Sugar and other refined sugars can promote obesity, tooth decay, and,
in people with high triglycerides, heart disease. |
| SULFITES (SULFUR DIOXIDE, SODIUM
BISULFITE) ... Preservative, bleach: Dried fruit, wine, processed potatoes. |
Sulfiting agents prevent discoloration (dried fruit, some
"fresh" shrimp, and some dried, fried, or frozen potatoes) and bacterial growth
(wine). They also destroy vitamin B-1 and, most important, can cause severe reactions,
especially in asthmatics. If you think you may be sensitive, avoid all forms of this
additive, because it has caused at least twelve known deaths and probably many more. |
| TAGATOSE ... sugar substitute |
This new additive is chemically similar to glucose (dextrose, corn sugar), but is poorly absorbed by the body. That’s why it yields only one-third as many calories—and why large amounts cause diarrhea, nausea, and flatulence. In one study, 20 grams (about five teaspoons) caused nausea. |
| THIAMIN MONONITRATE ... Vitamin
B-1. |
Perfectly safe, despite adding minuscule amounts of nitrate to
our food. |
| TRIACETIN (GLYCEROL TRIACETATE) Wetting agent. Beverages. |
This perfectly safe chemical is used in small amounts in foods and drinks to reduce the surface tension of water. |
| VANILLIN, ETHYL VANILLIN ...
Substitute for vanilla: Ice cream, baked goods, beverages, chocolate, candy, gelatin
desserts. |
Vanilla flavoring is derived from a bean, but vanillin, the major
flavor component of vanilla, is cheaper to produce in a factory. A derivative, ethyl
vanillin, comes closer to matching the taste of real vanilla. Both chemicals are safe. |
| VEGETABLE OIL STEROLS ...
Cholesterol-lowering Additive: Margarine, other foods. |
These substances, which are extracted from soybeans, reduce the absorption of cholersterol from food and lower blood cholersterol levels. They are not toxic, but they may reduce the body's absorption of nutrients called carotenoids that are thought to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Used in Take Control-brand margarine. |
|
|
Summary of Additives’ Safety
|
These appear to be safe, though a few people may be allergic
to any additive.
- ALGINATE
- ALPHA TOCOPHEROL (Vitamin E)
- ASCORBIC ACID (Vitamin C)
- BETA-CAROTENE
- CALCIUM PROPIONATE
- CALCIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE
- CARRAGEENAN
- CASEIN
- CITRIC ACID
- DIACYLGLYCEROL
- EDTA
- ERYTHORBIC ACID
- FERROUS GLUCONATE
- FUMARIC ACID
- GELATIN
- GLYCERIN (Glycerol)
- GUMS: Arabic, Furcelleran, Ghatti, Guar, Karaya, Locust Bean,
Xanthan
- LACTIC ACID
- LECITHIN
- MONO- and DIGLYCERIDES
- NEOTAME
- OLIGOFRUCTOSE
- PHOSPHATE SALTS
- PHOSPHORIC ACID
- PLANT STEROL ESTERS
- POLYSORBATE 60, 65, 80
- POTASSIUM SORBATE
- PROPYLENE GLYCOL ALGINATE
- SODIUM ASCORBATE
- SODIUM BENZOATE
- SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE (CMC)
- SODIUM CASEINATE
- SODIUM CITRATE
- SODIUM PROPIONATE
- SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE
- SORBIC ACID
- SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE
- STARCH, MODIFIED STARCH
- SUCRALOSE
- THIAMIN MONONITRATE
- TRIACETIN (GLYCEROL TRIACETATE)
- VANILLIN, ETHYL VANILLIN
- VEGETABLE OIL STEROL ESTERS
|
|
Caution
Not toxic, but large amounts may be unsafe or promote bad
nutrition. See main text for details.
- CAFFEINE
- CORN SYRUP
- DEXTROSE (CORN SUGAR, GLUCOSE)
- HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
- HYDROGENATATED STARCH HYDROLYSATE
- INVERT SUGAR
- LACTITOL
- MALTITOL
- MANNITOL
- POLYDEXTROSE
- SALATRIM
- SALT
- SORBITOL
- SUGAR
- TAGATOSE
|
|
CAUTION
These additives may pose a risk and need to be better tested. Try
to avoid..
- ARTIFICIAL COLORINGS
- ASPARTAME (Nutrasweet)
- BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL (BVO)
- BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE (BHA)
- BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE (BHT)
- HEPTYL PARABEN
- QUININE
|
|
CAUTION...Certain people
should avoid
May cause allergic reactions or other problems. See main text
for details.
- ARTIFICIAL COLORINGS
- ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORING
- BETA-CAROTENE
- CAFFEINE
- CARMINE; COCHINEAL
- CASEIN
- GUM TRAGACANTH
- HVP (HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN)
- LACTOSE
- MSG (MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE)
- MYCOPROTEIN
- QUININE
- SODIUM BISULFITE
- SULFITES
- SULFUR DIOXIDE
|
|
AVOID
The additive is unsafe in the amounts consumed or is very poorly
tested.
- ACESULFAME POTASSIUM
- ARTIFICIAL COLORINGS
- BLUE 1
- BLUE 2
- GREEN 3
- RED 3
- YELLOW 6
- CYCLAMATE
- HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL
- OLESTRA (Olean)
- PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL
- POTASSIUM BROMATE
- PROPYL GALLATE
- SACCHARIN
- SODIUM NITRITE, SODIUM NITRATE
- STEVIA
|
|
|
Additives That Have Been Banned...DO
NOT USE!!
The food and chemical industries have said for decades that all food
additives are well tested and safe. And most additives are safe. However, the history of
food additives is riddled with additives that, after many years of use, were found to pose
health risks. Those listed below have been banned.
The moral of the story is that when
someone says that all food additives are well tested and safe you should take their
assurances with a grain of salt. |
| Additive |
Function |
Natural or Synthetic |
Year Banned |
Problem |
| Agene (nitrogen trichloride)
|
flour bleaching and aging agent
|
synthetic |
1949 |
dogs that ate bread made from treated flour suffered epileptic-like fits; the toxic
agent was methionine sulfoxime |
| Artificial colorings: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1919 |
toxic, later found to cause liver cancer
|
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1965 |
liver cancer |
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1965 |
insufficient economic importance to be tested
|
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1956 |
organ damage |
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1960 |
organ damage |
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1978 (ban never finalized) |
cancer |
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1961 |
liver cancer |
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1976 |
possible carcinogen
|
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1976 |
high levels damaged adrenal cortex of dog; after 1965 it was used only in maraschino
cherries and certain pills; it is still allowed in externally applied drugs and cosmetics
|
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1956 |
damages internal organs and may be a weak carcinogen; since 1956 it continues to be
used under the name Citrus Red 2 only to color oranges (2 ppm) |
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1919 |
toxic, later found to be carcinogenic
|
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1973 |
cancer (it had been used to stamp the Department of Agriculture’s inspection mark on
beef carcasses) |
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1959 |
intestinal lesions at high dosages
|
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1959 |
heart damage at high dosages
|
|
|
artificial coloring
|
synthetic |
1959 |
heart damage at high dosages
|
| cinnamyl anthranilate
|
artificial flavoring
|
synthetic |
1982 |
liver cancer |
| cobalt salts |
stabilize beer foam
|
synthetic |
1966 |
toxic effects on heart
|
| coumarin |
flavoring |
tonka bean |
1954 |
liver poison |
| cyclamate |
artificial sweetener
|
synthetic |
1970 |
bladder cancer, damage to testes; now not thought to cause cancer directly, but to
increase the potency of other carcinogens |
| diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC)
|
preservative (beverages) |
synthetic |
1972 |
combines with ammonia to form urethane, a carcinogen
|
| dulcin (p-ethoxy-phenylurea)
|
artificial sweetener
|
synthetic |
1950 |
liver cancer |
| ethylene glycol
|
solvent |
humectant |
synthetic |
kidney damage
|
| monochloroacetic acid
|
preservative |
synthetic |
1941 |
highly toxic |
| nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA)
|
antioxidant |
desert plant |
1968 (FDA), 1971 (USDA) |
kidney damage
|
| oil of calamus
|
flavoring |
root of calamus
|
1968 |
intestinal cancer
|
| polyoxyethylene-8-stearate (Myrj 45) |
emulsifier |
synthetic |
1952 |
high levels caused bladder stones and tumors
|
| safrole |
flavoring (root beer) |
sassafras |
1960 |
liver cancer |
| thiourea |
preservative |
synthetic |
c.1950 |
liver cancer |
|
PART 2
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topics included in this article include;food additives, banned
food additives, safe food additives, additives to be
used with caution and unsafe food additives>
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