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Q2W1-2 (Food Preservatives, Artificial Sweetening Agents and Food Additives)

Foods
- Are materials, raw, processed, or formulated, that are consumed orally by humans or animals
for growth, health, satisfaction, pleasure, and satisfying social needs. Generally, there is no
limitation on the amount of food that may be consumed (as there is for a drug in the form of
dosage). This does not mean that we can eat any food item as much as we want. Excessive
amounts could be lethal, for example, salt, fat, and sugar.
- Chemically, mainly composed of water, lipids, fat, and carbohydrates with small proportions of
minerals and organic compounds. Minerals include salts and organic substances include
vitamins, emulsifiers, acids, antioxidants, pigments, polyphenols, and flavor-producing
compounds. The different classes of foods are perishable, nonperishable, harvested, fresh,
minimally processed, preserved, manufactured, formulated, primary, secondary derivatives,
synthetic, functional, and medical.

Food Preservatives
- Constitute a group of compounds of widely different molecular structures; they are organic and
inorganic substances with different functional groups and tendencies to form ions. Food
preservation also refers to any of a number of methods by which food is kept from spoilage after
harvest or slaughter. Such practices date to prehistoric times. Among the oldest methods of
preservation are drying, refrigeration, and fermentation. Modern methods include canning,
pasteurization, freezing, irradiation, and the addition of chemicals. Advances in packaging
materials have played an important role in modern food preservation.

Preservatives
- Substances add to food to prevent or slow spoilage and maintain natural colors and flavors.

2 Reasons for Food Spoilage:

- microbial contamination
- fats reacting with oxygen (oxidation)

Preservative criteria:
- nontoxic
- flavorless
- functional
- economical

Antimicrobial Agents
- prevent the growth of microbes in food
* Salts and Sugars
- oldest and most used types
- dehydrate food (microbe can’t grow without water)

* Nitrates (NO3)
- NaNO3 most common
- Controls the bacteria that cause botulism
- React with amino acids to form nitrosamines (carcinogen)

* Acids
- acetic, ascorbic, lactic, benzoic, propionic
-prevent microbe growth by lowering pH of food
-calcium propionate (C6H12CaO5) prevents mold in bread
-sorbic (C6H8O2) and benzoic acid (C6H6O2) work together to control mold, yeast and bacteria in
soft drinks

* Antioxidants
- protect foods from changes caused by exposure to oxygen

* Sulfites
- added to frozen and dried produce to prevent browning
- (salts that contain sulfur) sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium and potassium bisulfite
- dangerous allergic reactions
- use on fresh produce banned by FDA 1986

Food Preservation
- A process by which foods like fruits and vegetables are prevented from getting spoiled for a
long period of time. The color, taste and nutritive value of food is also preserved.

Methods of Food Preservation:

1. Drying
- Removing the food’s water
* Sun Drying
* Commercial Drying

2. Fermentation
*Vinegar
* Edible coating-natural wax, oil, petroleum based wax

3. Canning

4. Sterilization
- The elimination of all microorganisms through extended boiling or through the use of certain
chemicals.

5. Cold Preservation
* Refrigeration
* Freezing

6. Heat Preservation
* Pasteurization
- heats liquids to 160 degree celsius for 15 seconds
* Ohmic heating
- electrical current is passed through the food generating enough heat to destroy
microorganisms

7. Irradiation
- Low doses of gamma rays, x-rays, or electrons

8. Pulsed Light
- Exposes food to intense, very brief flashes of light which disrupt the cell membrane of bacterial
cells

9. High Pressure Processing

- Inactivates food borne microorganisms at low temperature

10. Pascalization
- Uses ultra high pressure to inhibit the chemical process of food deterioration

11. Ozonization
- Ozone is commercially produced by exposing oxygen to electrical current
- Ozone is an effective disinfectant

12. Aseptic and Modified Atmosphere Packaging

- Foods are packaged airtight by a commercial sealing process

Food Additive
- Any substance added to food. Legally, the term refers to "any substance 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.
- They are chemicals or ingredients which are added to food products for maintaining their
stability.
- Additives are artificial or natural chemicals, added to food, for microbial and chemical stability
of foods or delay or even stop food rancidity.
- Any substance a food producer intentionally adds to a food for a specific purpose.
- Producers use around 3,000 additives to preserve and improve foods.

Use of Additives:
- Food produced on the large scale that is needed to supply supermarkets and other food shops
has to be transported and stored before it is consumed.
- It has to stay in top condition over a much longer period of time than home cooked food.
- Additives are used so that these foods still have a consistently high quality.

Direct Food Additives

- Those that are added to a food for a specific purpose. For example, xanthan gum -- used in
salad dressings, chocolate milk, bakery fillings, puddings and other foods to add texture -- is a
direct additive. Most direct additives are identified on the ingredient label of foods.
- Additives that are added to a food for a specific purpose are known as direct additives. For
example, the low calorie sweetener, aspartame, is a direct additive that is added to puddings,
soft drinks, yogurt, and many other foods. Direct additives are identified on a food’s ingredient
label.

Indirect Food Additives

- Are those that become part of the food in trace amounts due to its packaging, storage or other
handling. For instance, minute amounts of packaging substances may find their way into foods
during storage. Food packaging manufacturers must prove to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) that all materials coming in contact with food are safe before they are
permitted for use in such a manner.
- Indirect additives become part of the food in very small amounts during the processing,
packaging, or storage of the food item. By law, manufacturers must document that the amounts
present are considered so insignificant as to be safe.

Purpose of Additives:
- Improve storage properties
- Increased healthfulness
- Make food more appealing
- Improve processing and preparation

Functions of food additives:

- Improve the taste or appearance of a processed food
* beeswax - glazing agent is used to coat apples

- Improve the keeping quality or stability of a food

* sorbitol - added to mixed dried fruit to maintain moisture level and softness of the fruit

- Improve shelf life or storage time

* sulfur dioxide - added to sausage meat to avoid microbial growth
- Ensure nutritional value

- Maintain uniform quality and to enhance quality parameters like flavor, color etc., in large scale
production

Types of Additives:
* Natural
- found naturally, such as extracts from beetroot juice (E162), used as a coloring agent;

* Manmade
- synthetic identical copies of substances found naturally, such as benzoic acid (E210), used as
a preservative;

*Artificial
- produced synthetically and not found naturally, such as nisin (E234), used as a preservative in
some dairy products and in semolina and tapioca puddings.

Classes of Food Additives

- Preservatives
- Food Colors
- Food Flavors and Flavor Enhancers
- High Intensity / Low Calorie Sweeteners
- Antioxidants
- Emulsifiers
- Acidulants
- Anti-Caking Agents

Colors
- Food coloring is added to foods to replace lost colors during preparation, or to make foods look
more attractive.
- In the USA there are seven artificial colorings that are permitted in foods:
* FD&C Blue No. 1 - Brilliant Blue FCF
* FD&C Blue No. 2 - Indigotine
* FD&C Green No. 3 - Fast Green
* FD&C Red No. 40 - Allura Red AC
* FD&C Red No. 3 - Erythrosine
* FD&C Yellow No. 5 - Tartrazine
* FD&C Yellow No. 6 - Sunset Yellow
- Restore color lost during processing or storage.
- Ensure that each batch produced is identical in appearance or does not appear “off”.
- Reinforces color already in foods, e.g enhances the yellowness of a custard.
- Give color to foods which otherwise would be colorless (e.g soft drinks) and so make them
more attractive, appetizing and more saleable.
- To ensure color consistency.
Flavoring Agent
- Flavor enhancers bring out the flavor in foods without imparting a flavor of their own, e.g
monosodium glutamate (E612) is added to processed foods. For example some soups, sauces
and sausages.
- Natural flavor substances such as spices and their extracts, herbs, roots, essence and
essential oils have been used.
- Flavors of the substance are not uniform as they vary with season and area of production.
- Natural are now replaced by synthetic flavor materials. It includes esters, aldehydes, ketones,
alcohols and ethers, smoke flavors of glutamates.

Flavor Enhancers
- Flavorings, on the other hand, are added to a wide range of foods, usually in small amounts to
give a particular taste.
- These do not have E numbers because they are controlled by different food laws. Ingredients
lists will say if flavorings have been used, but individual flavorings might not be named.
- Monosodium glutamate is a white solid. It possesses a little flavor of its own, but it can “bring
out” the flavor of foods. It is therefore a flavor enhancer.

Anti-caking Agents
- Anti-caking agents are placed in powdered or granulated foods to prevent them from caking or
sticking.
- Some anti-caking agents include sodium bicarbonate, sodium ferrocyanide, and potassium
ferrocyanide.
- Sodium Bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline, but often appears as a fine powder. It
has a slightly salty taste, and can be found dissolved in many mineral springs. Many people
know it as baking soda.
- Anti-caking agents ensure free movement or flow of particles, e.g. in dried milk or table salt.

Antifoaming Agents
- Antifoaming agents reduce or prevent foaming in foods.
- These agents are included in many foods, such as Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, and Sprite.
Antifoaming agents are added to cooking oils to prevent excessive frothing during deep frying.
- There are many types of defoamers including oil based, water based, silicone based, and
EO/PO based.

Emulsifiers, Stabilisers, Gelling Agents

- Emulsifiers help mix ingredients together that would normally separate, e.g. Lecithins (E322).

- Stabilisers prevent ingredients from separating again, e.g. locust bean gum (E410). Two e.g.s
of stabilizers are agar and pectin.

- Gelling agents are used to change the consistency of a food, e.g. pectin (E440).
Thickeners and Glazing Agents
- Thickeners are substances which, when added to a mixture, increases its viscosity without
substantially modifying its other properties. It helps give food body, e.g can be found in most
sauces.

- Glazing agents provide a protective coating or sheen on the surface of foods, e.g.
confectionery (for appearance and shelf-life).

Acids, Bases, and Buffers

- Food acids are added to make flavors “sharper”, and also act as preservatives and
antioxidants. Common food acids include vinegar, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, fumaric
acid, and lactic acid.
- Acids, bases and buffers control the acidity or alkalinity of foods, for safety and stability of
flavor.

Why Are Food and Color Ingredients Added to Food?

- To Maintain or Improve Safety and Freshness: Preservatives slow product spoilage caused by
mold, air, bacteria, fungi or yeast. In addition to maintaining the quality of the food, they help
control contamination that can cause foodborne illness, including life-threatening botulism. One
group of preservatives -- antioxidants -- prevents fats and oils and the foods containing them
from becoming rancid or developing an off-flavor. They also prevent cut fresh fruits such as
apples from turning brown when exposed to air.

- To Improve or Maintain Nutritional Value: Vitamins and minerals (and fiber) are added to many
foods to make up for those lacking in a person's diet or lost in processing, or to enhance the
nutritional quality of a food. Such fortification and enrichment have helped reduce malnutrition in
the U.S. and worldwide. All products containing added nutrients must be appropriately labeled.

- To Improve Taste, Texture and Appearance: Spices, natural and artificial flavors, and
sweeteners are added to enhance the taste of food. Food colors maintain or improve
appearance. E. Leavening agents allow baked goods to rise during baking.

How are ingredients listed on a product label?

Food manufacturers are required to list all ingredients in the food on the label. On a product
label, the ingredients are listed in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the
greatest amount first, followed in descending order by those in smaller amounts. The label must
list the names of any FDA-certified color additives (e.g., FD&C Blue No. 1 or the abbreviated
name, Blue 1).

The E system, developed by the European Union (formally the European Economic
Community), provides a listing of several commonly used additives. The Codex Alimentarius
Commission Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants has developed an international
numbering system (INS) for food additives based on the E system.
The INS system is broader than the E system and is intended as an identification system for
food additives approved for use in one or more countries. The INS numbers are
largely the same numbers used in the E system without the E. The INS system also includes
a listing of the technical function for each additive based on 23 functional classes. The E
numbers are categorized as follows:
* E100-E199 (colors)
* E200-E299 (preservatives)
* E300-E399 (antioxidants, acidity regulators)
* E400-E499 (thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers)
* E500-E599 (acidity regulators, anticaking agents)
* E600-E699 (flavor enhancers)
* E900-E999 (surface coating agents, gasses, sweeteners)
* E1000-E1999 (additional chemicals)

E-Codes
- E-codes are codes sometimes found on food labels in the European Union (Great Britain,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal etc.)
- The codes indicates an ingredient which is some type of food additives
- The “E” indicates that is a “European Union Approved” food additive
- Other countries have different food labeling laws

Sweetener or Sugar
- is any of various natural and artificial substances that provide a sweet taste in food and
beverages. In addition to their sweetening power, they may be used for such processes as food
preservation, fermentation (in brewing and wine making), baking (where they contribute to
texture, tenderization, and leavening), and food browning and caramelization.
- Natural sugars are mainly extracted from animal or plant sources, and they are derived as a
result of a natural process such as photosynthesis in a plant. These sugar substitutes are low in
calories, low in fructose and taste very sweet. Thus, natural sweeteners are considered as a
good sugar substitute because they have lesser-to-no calories compared to that of refined
sugars often used in cooking and other beverages. However, these natural sweeteners acquire
their sweet taste from glucose and fructose. They are also associated with positive health
outcomes compared to artificial sweeteners.

Natural sweeteners are used for following applications;

- To bake (main use)
- To spread on bread or biscuits
- To sweeten various beverages such as tea
- To preserve meat

Intense sweeteners, e.g. saccharin, have a sweetness many times that of sugar and therefore
are used in small amounts, e.g. in diet foods, soft drinks, sweetening tablets;

Bulk sweeteners, e.g. sorbitol, have a similar sweetness to sugar and are used at similar levels.
If concentrated cordial drinks that contain sweeteners are given to children between the ages of
6 months to 4 years, it is important to dilute them more than for adults. Infants under 6 months
should not be given cordial drinks.

Sugar substitutes or Artificial Sweeteners are artificially synthesized compounds that give a
sweet taste similar to sugar. But they contain considerably less food energy. Excess
consumption of artificial sweeteners is associated with detrimental health effects. Artificial
sweeteners have been associated with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia,
macular degeneration, and tooth decay. Thus, different food regulation bodies’ including EU
Food Additives and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulate artificial sweeteners as food
additives.

* To sprinkle on foods
* To sweeten hot drinks such as tea and coffee
* To baked products such as baked goods, confectionery, and toffees (Diet products or
sugar-free alternative products)
* To add sweetness and texture to cooked products
* To produce icing sugar that is used for dusting foods and in baking and confectionery

Q2W3 (Use of Food Preservatives and Artificial Sweetening Agents)

Substances that are added to food to maintain or improve the safety, freshness, taste, texture,
or appearance of food are known as food additives. Some food additives have been in use for
centuries for preservation – such as salt (in meats such as bacon or dried fish), sugar (in
marmalade), or sulfur dioxide (in wine).

Principles for Using Food Additives:

1. The food additives being used should present no risk to the health of the consumer at the
levels of use.

2. The use of food additives is justified only when such use has an advantage, does not present
a hazard to health of and does not deceive the consumer, as well as serves one or more of the
following technological functions and needs:
a. to preserve the nutritional quality of the food;
b. to provide necessary constituents for foods manufactured for groups of consumers having
special dietary needs;
c. to enhance the keeping quality or stability of a food or to improve its organoleptic properties;
d. to provide aids in the processing, packaging, transport or storage of food

3. All food additives shall be used under conditions of good manufacturing practice (GMP) which
is the quantity of the additive added to food shall be limited to the lowest possible level
necessary to accomplish its desired effect;
Most Common Food Preservatives in Fast Food:
1. Citric Acid: The Most Common Preservative
Citric acid, an organic acid found in many fruits, especially limes, lemons, and grapefruits, is one
of those chemicals. It increases the acidity of a microbe's environment, making it harder for
bacteria and mold to survive and reproduce

2. High-fructose Corn Syrup: The Most Common Sweetener

Sucrose, or sugar, reigned as the traditional sweetener for years until food scientists began to
synthesize sugar substitutes. Saccharin arrived first, followed by aspartame and sucralose.

3. Caramel Color: The Most Common Color Additive

Caramel color is the dark brown material that results from carefully heating food-grade
carbohydrates. Just think of the color of sautéed onions (a process known as caramelizing, by
the way), and you'll get a good idea of this particular hue, although it can range from
reddish-brown to light yellow. Caramel color has no significant effect on the flavor profile of the
finished product

4. Salt: The Most Common Flavor or Spice

The reason why salt is such an effective preservative is that it draws moisture out of food. Dry
foods are less likely to spoil as moisture is a key requirement for organisms that want to spoil
the food.

5. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): The Most Common Flavor Enhancer

MSG is used as a flavor enhancer to some extent. Interestingly, MSG has no distinct taste itself.
Instead, it amplifies other flavors, especially in foods with chicken or beef flavoring, through
processes that scientists don't fully understand. MSG is the sodium salt of the amino acid
glutamic acid and is just one form of glutamate, a chemical that exists naturally in many living
things.

6. Niacin: The Most Common Nutrient

Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3, an
essential human nutrient. Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variety of whole and processed
foods, with highest contents in fortified packaged foods, meat, poultry, red fish such as tuna and
salmon, lesser amounts in nuts, legumes and seeds.

7. Mono- and Diglycerides: The Most Common Emulsifiers

Mono- and diglycerides allow smooth mixing of ingredients, prevent separation and generally
stabilize food. You can find them in ice cream, margarine, baked goods, whipped topping and
certain beverages. Luckily, glycerides pose no serious health threats, although they are a
source of fat.

8. Xanthan Gum: The Most Common Stabilizer or Thickener

Xanthan gum is produced by a bacterium - Xanthomonas campestris. Xanthan gum is widely
used by the food industry as a thickening agent. It's especially useful in salad dressings to help
keep components like oil and vinegar from separating. It works by stabilizing emulsions,
increasing the viscosity of the mixture so that the oil and vinegar stay together longer and so
that spices stay suspended.

9. BHA and BHT

Food manufacturers add butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
to foods like cereal and other dry goods to help their fats stay fresher longer. Both BHA and
BHT are antioxidants, which mean they can protect other compounds from the damaging effects
of oxygen exposure. In a way, BHA and BHT are similar to vitamin E, which is also an
antioxidant and often used as a preservative as well.

10. Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite

The salts of nitrite and nitrate are commonly used for curing meat and other perishable produce.
They are added to food to preserve it and also help hinder the growth of harmful
microorganisms, in particular Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for
life-threatening botulism. Nitrites, together with nitrates, are also added to meat to keep it red
and give flavor, while nitrates are used to prevent certain cheeses from bloating during
fermentation.

Sweetening Agents
- Sweetening agents are ingredients added to food to replace sugar. Some sweeteners, often
called “intense sweeteners”, provide an intense sweet taste without calories or with very few
calories. Sweeteners are used as an alternative to sugar for a number of reasons.
1. Low-calorie sweeteners may be used by people trying to lose weight or control their weight.
2. Do not promote tooth decay.
3. They can be used to sweeten things like toothpaste and dental mouthwash.

- Natural sweeteners are extracted from plant sources (e.g. stevia) or produced by
animals (e.g. honey), whereas artificial sweeteners are manufactured through
industrial processing. The structure of the sweetener chemicals differs between and
within the natural and artificial types of sweeteners.

- Artificial sweeteners are industrially processed from naturally occurring compounds

(such as amino acids, the building sources of proteins). The manufacturing process
may include fermentation as well as synthetic chemical reactions.

Most Popular Artificial Sweeteners

1. Aspartame
Aspartame is the zero-calorie sweetener. It is also found in soft drinks, gum, yogurt and cough
drops. It is made by bringing together two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanin. Since its
introduction in 1981, aspartame has been one of the most researched artificial sweeteners on
the market. Aspartame is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar.
2. Neotame
Neotame is another zero-calorie sweetener commonly found in dairy products, frozen desserts,
pudding and fruit juice. Neotame is also one of the newest artificial sweeteners on the market,
having only been approved by the FDA in 2002. Additionally, depending on what it is added to,
Neotame is between 7,000 and 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar.

3. Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K)

First approved by the FDA in 1988, acesulfame potassium (or Ace-K) is about 200 times
sweeter and calorie-free sugar substitute. It is heat stable, meaning that it stays sweet even
when used at high temperatures during baking, making it suitable as a sugar substitute in baked
goods. Acesulfame potassium is typically used in frozen desserts, candies, beverages, and
baked goods. More than 90 studies support its safety.

4. Saccharin
First introduced in 1879, saccharin (benzoic sulfimide) is the oldest artificial sweetener still in
use today. It is 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar and this crystalline white powder can be
found in everything from toothpaste to candy to canned fruits and vegetables. In a Saccharin
Packet Serving there are about 4 calories out of which 0 calories come from fat.

5. Sucralose
Sucralose is a zero-calorie sweetener found in fruit drinks, canned fruit, chewing gum and
syrups. Unlike other zero-calorie sweeteners, sucralose, which is also the key ingredient in
Splenda, is heat stable and is commonly used as a sugar substitute in baking recipes.
Sucralose is one of the most extensively studied artificial sweeteners on the market. It is 600
times sweeter than sugar.

6. Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols are neither sugars nor alcohols. They are carbohydrates with a chemical
structure that partially resembles sugar and partially resembles alcohol, but they don’t contain
ethanol as alcoholic beverages do. Their calorie content ranges from zero to three calories per
gram compared to four calories per gram for sucrose or other sugars. It is used in sugar-free
gum and mouthwash. Sugar alcohols also create a cooling sensation when used in large
amounts, which works well with mint flavors. The sweetness of sugar alcohols varies from 25%
to 100% as sweet as sugar

7. Stevia
Unlike the aforementioned artificial sweeteners, stevia leaf extract–also called rebiana–is
actually a natural product commonly found in diet drinks, yogurts However, much like the
artificial sweeteners on this list, stevia is a zero-calorie alternative to sugar and is classified by
the FDA as a High-Intensity Sweetener. This is what sets stevia apart from other natural sugar
alternatives like honey and agave syrup. It is 200 – 400 times sweeter than sugar.
Q2W4-5 (Effects of Consuming Products with Food Preservatives and Additives)

Preservatives
- are used to increase the shelf life of food and to maintain the quality for a longer time.
Examples:
* Salt - dehydrates food
* Nitrates - added to processed meats

Most Common Methods to Food Preservation:

* Drying or Dehydration
- Removing the moisture from food is a very effective method of preservation. It uses air and
heat - natural sunlight or ultraviolet (UV) rays.
- Modern Methods: solar drying; osmotic, oven drying, dehydration, freeze-drying, vacuum
drying

* Salting
- Salting is a subcategory of the drying method. The main difference here is that salt is added to
products, mainly meat and fish, to draw out moisture. This lowers the bacteria content and
makes food adaptable for later use.

* Freezing
- Bacteria and yeast grow best at specific temperatures, usually between 4C to 60C. By
lowering the temperature below 4C their metabolic and reproductive action is significantly
slowed. While this may not kill the bacteria and yeast, it does slow the spoilage process.

* Canning
- Preserves food by removing the oxygen needed for most microorganisms to grow. Since some
organisms can flourish in the absence of oxygen, canning is usually combined with a second
factor that inhibits microbial growth, like acid or salt (usually in the form of brine).

* Curing
- It happens when meat is submerged in a salt solution known as brine. Curing is used with
certain fruits and vegetables, such as cabbage, cucumbers, and olives. It is probably the most
popular in the preservation of meat and fish.

* Fermentation
- Naturally occurring chemical reaction by which a natural food is converted into another form by
pathogens. It is a process in which food “goes bad”, but results in the formation of an edible
product. The best example is cheese because fresh milk does not remain in edible condition for
a very long period of time.

* Thermal Processes
- The term “thermal” refers to processes involving heat. Heating food is an effective way of
preserving it because the great majority of harmful pathogens are killed at temperature close to
the boiling point.
Types of Thermal Processes:
* Blanching
- It is a pre-treatment prior to freezing, drying, and canning. It’s primary purpose is to destroy
enzyme activity in fruits and vegetables.
* Pasteurization
- Pasteurization is a mild heat treatment that can be used to destroy enzymes and
heat-sensitive microorganisms.
* Sterilization
- A controlled heating process used to completely eliminate all living microorganisms.

*Chemical Additives
- The majority of food preservation operations used today also employ some kind of chemical
additive to reduce spoilage. Of the many dozens of chemical additives available, all are
designed either to kill or inhibit the growth of pathogens or to prevent or slow down chemical
reactions that result in the oxidation of foods.
- A special class of additives that reduce oxidation is known as the sequestrants. Sequestrants
are compounds that "capture" metallic ions, such as those of copper, iron, and nickel, and
remove them from contact with foods. The removal of these ions helps preserve foods because
in their free state they increase the rate at which oxidation of foods takes place. Some examples
of sequestrants used as food preservatives are ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA), citric,
sorbitol, and tartaric acid.
- The majority of food preservation operations used today also employ some kind of chemical
additives available, all are either designed either to kill or retard the growth of pathogens or to
prevent or retard chemical reactions that result in the oxidation of foods.

How to avoid eating too much food preservatives and additives

* List out additives you want to avoid.
- Make a list of foods that typically contain these additives. If you’re avoiding, for example:
Yellow Number 5, note that this additive is typically found in sugary cereals and colored candies.
- More Examples
* Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) - processed foods like frozen dinners, salty snacks and
canned soups
* Guar gum - ice cream, salad dressings, sauces and soups

* Read food packaging advertising

- “Front of pack” labeling refers to all the advertising, “call-outs” and messaging that is found on
the front of food packages. Some examples of “front of pack” labeling include “all-natural”, “good
source of fiber”, or “low-fat.” The messages on the packaging don’t always have a specific or
legal definition by the FDA. For example, there’s no legal definition of “all natural.” However, if a
product says “low-sodium,” it means there can be no more than 140 mg of sodium per serving.

* Review the ingredients list

- The ingredient list is generally underneath or next to the nutrition facts panel. It will list out
every ingredient contained in the product. The ingredients mentioned are listed in order from
highest quantity to the smallest quantity by weight. For example, if whole wheat flour is the first
ingredient, this is the ingredient that is found in the largest amounts

* Avoid processed meats

- Instead of these processed items, choose leaner, less processed sources of protein. You can
make your own deli meat by roasting chicken or turkey breasts in the oven and slicing them up
for sandwiches. Bake fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, or pork for meals instead of serving hot
dogs or sausage. You can also try making your own breakfast sausage from scratch with lean
ground pork.
* Sodium Nitrite
- Frequently found in processed meats, sodium nitrite acts as a preservative to prevent the
growth of bacteria while also adding a salty flavor and reddish-pink color.
- When exposed to high heat and in the presence of amino acids, nitrites can turn into
nitrosamine, a compound that can have many negative effects on health.

* Go for 100% organic items

- Another way to help avoid and cut down on harmful food additives in your diet is by choosing
100% organic foods. This labeling can help you discern what foods have fewer additives.

* Make more foods from scratch

- If you want to avoid harmful food additives, you may need to cook more foods at home and
from scratch. This is not always the easiest way, but allows you to have full control over the
ingredients in your foods.

Q2W6-7 (Food Processing, Storage and Utilization)

(WIP)

advantages: 7
Disadvantages: 2
Food change: 12
Handle: 4
Store: 3
Perishable, Semi-Perishable, Non-perishable
Symptoms: 5
Solve Food Poisoning: 5

Food Processing - any method used to turn fresh foods into food products
Food Storage - Allow food to be eaten for some time after harvest rather than solely eating
immediately
Food Utilization - Proper biological use of food
Advantages:
Lessened hazards of microbial pathogens
Lessened spoilage
Inactivation of heat-labile, anti-nutritional, substances
Year-round availability of seasoned food
Availability of perishable foods
Increased convenience
Increased variety of foods, some with enhanced sensory properties

Disadvantages:
Harm to the sensory properties and nutritive value of some foods
Damage to nutritional value and development of toxicologically undesirable compounds
during processing

FOOD CHANGE
Vitamins and Minerals - (Storage) Significant level of decrease in vitamins
(Processing) Destruction of vitamins
Proteins - (Storage) Maillard reaction (Processing) Proteins are denatured
Lipids - (Storage) Oxidation (Processing) Decomposition of unsaturated fatty acids
Carbohydrates - (Storage) No significant loss in nutritional value (Processing) Considerable
loss of low molecular weight carbohydrates

How to Handle Food

Cook with clean hands, utensils, and cooking area
Cook meat, eggs, fish thoroughly to kill the bacteria
Avoid cross contamination
Throw away spoiled food

How to store food

Keep perishable food cool
Remove fruits and vegetables that show signs of spoilage
Keep dry foods in closed containers

Perishable - Decay if not refrigerated

Semi-perishable - 6 months to 1 year
Non-perishable - do not require immediate refrigeration and can be stored for a long time
Enter
Food poisoning: eating contaminated, spoiled, or toxic food. 1-7 days
Symptoms: Abdominal pain, Vomiting, Fever, Dizziness, Diarrhea
Enter

What to do with Food Poisoning:

Rest, Stay hydrated, eat blanch food, Try natural remedies, Use oral rehydration solution