BENZOIC ACID & BENZOATES (210 –218)



BENZOIC ACID & BENZOATES (210 –218)

• Retards growth of bacteria and yeasts

• Occurs naturally in many foods – a similar distribution to salicylate

(but at a lower dose than as an additive)

• Common food sources:

Soft drink, cordial, fruit juice and cider

Liquid essences and syrups

Iceblocks, jelly, low joule jam, dips, pickles, olives

Fish marinades and preserves

• PABA (para-amino-benzoic-acid) can be used in vitamin supplements, creams and sunsceen lotions

PROPIONIC ACID & PROPIONATES (280 – 283)

• Anti-fungal/anti mould food preservative, esp in bakery products

• Naturally-occurring fatty acid e.g. found in sweat, occurs as natural preservative in Swiss cheese

• May be produced naturally in baking when whey powder is used (eg in many “preservative-free” breads)

• Common food sources:

Bread, crumpets, muffins

Other bakery goods

Noodles

ARTIFICIAL ANTI-OXIDANTS (310 –321)

• Retard or prevent oxidation in fats and oils, and prevent discolouration of cut fruits

• Are heat resistant, so effective in baked products

• Common food sources:

Oil, margarine, dairy blends

Salad dressings

Fried snack foods

Pastry, scones, biscuits

Note: natural antioxidants are OK – includes vitamin C (codes 300 –304),

Vitamin C derivatives (codes 317, 318) & Vitamin E (codes 306 –309)

SORBIC ACID & SORBATES (200 – 203)

• Inhibit growth of yeast & moulds, between pH 4-6. Limited effect on bacteria, so often used as a cheese preservative (allows fermentation

by lactic acid bacteria)

• Common food sources:

Cottage cheese, processed cheeses and cheese products

(eg spreads)

Margarine, dips, yoghurts

Fruit juice, cordials, syrups

Some dried fruit (moist varieties such as figs, prunes)

Crumpets

NITRATES & NITRITES (249 – 252)

• Curing agent for meat – converts iron-containing pigments in the

flesh to stable bright-pink compounds

• Preservative against botulism bacteria

• Common food sources:

Processed meat products eg salami, fritz, corned beef, ham

and bacon

Canned cured meat products

NATURAL COLOUR ANNATTO (160b)

• Also known as bixin or norbixin

• A yellow dye from the seed coats of the tropical annatto tree

• Common food sources:

Margarine, cheese, icecream, yoghurt, custard

Noodles

Breakfast cereals

Frozen oven-bake chips

Lollies

Biscuits, cakes and baked goods

SULPHITES (220 – 228)

• An old food additive – used by ancient Greeks and Romans to

preserve wine

• Acts to prolong shelf life, slow browning reactions (to maintain colour),

stabilises vitamin C, and is an improving and bleaching agent

• Added to wine and beer to inhibit growth of undesirable yeasts

and prevent secondary fermentation

• Inhaled sulphur dioxide can cause bronchoconstriction in asthmatics,

and sulphites in food may release sulphur dioxide when eaten

• Must now be declared on food labels if present in concentrations of 10

mg/kg or more – now noticeable on many more food labels

• How much is driven off during cooking eg when glucose syrup is

boiled to make lollies?

• Common food sources:

Cordial, fruit juice, tomato juice, soft drink, wine, beer, cider

Dried fruit and products containing dried fruit, dessicated coconut

Dehydrated vegetables eg mashed potato, green peas & beans

Chocolates with soft centres, cream-filled biscuits

Commercial hot potato chips, frozen oven-fries

Commercial pre-prepared salads and dressings

Sausage mince, meat pies, frankfurters

Meat and fish pastes, prawns and other shellfish

Pickles

• Common food sources (continued):

Gelatine, vinegar, glucose syrup

Flavouring essences & syrups, fruit sauces

Flour products (bleaching agent)

Many gluten-free fours eg maize cornflour, arrowroot, potato flour

Low joule jam, lemon butter

Many medications contain sulphites, especially liquids and syrups, injectable and inhaled medicines

ARTIFICIAL FOOD COLOURS

AZO dyes: 102, 107, 110 (yellow), 122, 123, 124, 128 (red), 151 (black)

and 155 (brown)

Non-AZOdyes: 127 (red), 132 & 133 (blue)

• Make food more colourful, or compensate for colour lost in processing

• Common food sources:

Cordial, soft drink, flavoured milk, hot chocolate mixes

Confectionary, biscuits, cakes

Iceblocks, icecream, icecream toppings

Custard powder, packet desserts, jelly, pie fillings

Gravy powders, commercial sauces, soups

Pickles, canned and glace cherries

Common food sources (continued):

Noodles, processed snack foods

Many medications eg syrups, chewable tablets, capsules

FLAVOUR ENHANCERS

Glutamates (620 –625) and Ribonucleotides (627, 631 nd 635)

• Glutamates occur naturally, but are in higher concentrations as an

additive. Mainly produced by fermentation of molasses.

• Ribonucleotides are isolated from sardines, yeast and meat extracts

• Used to enhance flavour in savoury foods –associated with a fifth taste

called “umami”

• Common food sources:

Packet soups, stock cubes & powders, gravy mixes

Flavoured noodles

Sauces

Snack foods

Many other processed savoury foods

SALICYLATE

• Salicylate occurs mainly in plant-based foods.

• Chemically similar to aspirin

• Acts like a natural pesticide, so is higher near the skin of fruit &

vegetables. Levels decline with ripening. Levels can vary

considerably, depending on growing conditions, season etc

• Common food sources:

Fruits & vegetables, herbs & spices

Honey, peppermint

Tea

• Salicylate –sensitive people may have problems with phenolic

compounds eg in “smelly” balms and liniments, perfumes,

cleaning agents etc

AMINES

• Occur mainly from breakdown of amino acids in high protein foods

• Increase with fermentation, ageing, ripening, cooking etc

• Several different amines can cause problems, including:

Histamine, Tyramine, Octopamine, Phenylethylamine,

Tryptamine, Dopamine, Noradrenalin and Serotonin

• High food sources include:

Cheese

Chocolate and chocolate flavourings

Some fruits eg banana, pineapple, raspberries, grapes, avocado

Some vegetables eg spinach, tomato, mushrooms, eggplant

Tinned fish, pork, processed meats, poultry skin

Nuts esp walnuts

Yeast and meat extracts, sauces, stock cubes, HVP/ TVP

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