Food Additives
Food additives have been used for thousands of years. In prehistoric times, salt was probably used to preserve meat and fish. Our ancestors also found that large amounts of sugar helped preserve fruit and that cucumbers could be preserved in a vinegar solution. The ancient Egyptians used sulfites to stop bacterial growth and fermentation in wine. They also used extracts from beetles for food coloring. Vegetable dyes from juniper fruits or beech-root juice were popular colorings in the Middle Ages, although wary kings began to employ "garglers" to test their meals-perhaps for additives that did not originate in the kitchen (Editors of Prevention Magazine 1993). Today, salt, sugar, and corn syrup are by far the most widely used additives. The role of food additives has become more prominent in recent years, due in part to the increased production of prepared, processed, and convenience foods. At the same time, consumers, scientists, and others have raised questions about the necessity and safety of these substances. Although limited amounts of food additives are necessary to guarantee adequate food supplies for a growing population, their use is strictly controlled by laws that assure consumers that fo
Perucca, Fabien and Pourader, Gerard. 1993. The Rubbish On Our Plates. Prion Books, Ltd., London, England. Harrington, Geri. 1987. Real Food Fake Food and Everything In Between. Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc., New York, NY. Some common direct additives are antioxidants, such as propyl gallate and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). These additives are approved for use in retarding rancidity in animal or vegetable fats, to preserve color during storage, and to enhance flavor. Preservatives and curing agents such as table salt, sugar, benzoic acid, and sodium nitrite help prevent food spoilage. Binders and extenders -- including cereals, nonfat dry milk, and soy protein products -- are permitted in such items as sausages and meat patties to bind together ingredients and extend processed products (Harrington 1987). There are four groups of substances that are exempt from the Food Additives Amendment. They are generally recognized as safe substances (GRAS), prior sanctioned or approved substances, pesticides, chemicals, and color additives. If new data on a food chemical indicate a possible health risk, the FDA may revoke its GRAS classification of the substance and relabel it as an unapproved food additive (Stare, Aronson, & Barrett 1991). Some additives could be eliminated if we were willing to grow our own food, harvest and grind it, spend many hours cooking and canning, or accept increased risks of food spoilage. Most people have come to rely on the many technological, aesthetic, and convenience benefits that additives provide in food (FDA/IFIC 1998). We want "pretty" foods because consumers have been subjected to the beautiful pictures of foods in popular magazines and on television. Food purveyors are only responding to the changes in society (Winter 1984). As consumers we can make an impact on the use of additives in processed foods by complaining to the makers of additive-laden foods. It was pressure from parents who thought their children were reacting poorly to additives such as artificial colorings that got companies specializing in children's foods to drop questionable additives from their products (Jacobson, et. al. 1991). As concerned citizens we can urge our legislators to demand tougher testing of additives and more vigorous enforcement of the food-additive laws. To reinforce good food processing practices we can thank companies whose food products do not contain questionable additives and also vote for legislators who are concerned about the health and safety of their constituents. We need to worry about the loss of nutrients that results from modern methods of farming, polluted water, depleted soil, and chemicals used on plants and given to animals (Haas 1999).
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Approximate Word count = 2166
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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