Food Additives - What's Really in your Food?

How often do you actually read the ingredients list found on your food packaging? It's becoming more common but you have to question how many people actually know half of these things mean. Following the article of food additives and how to minimize their effects, here is a list of 12 common food additives that you should be aware of. Some common terms have actually been given commercial names as a marketing strategy to mask the meanings of the foods.

1. Dextrose
   Dextrose is a sugar. It is an alternative name for glucose. Commercially the term ‘glucose’ is often used to mean corn syrup (a mixture of glucose with other sugars) and pure glucose is called dextrose.


2. Saccharin
   Saccharin is an artificial sweetener.
   
   An artificial sweetener, is a food additive which attempts to duplicate the effect of sugar or corn syrup in taste, but often with less food energy.
   


3. Ethyl Butyrate
   Ethyl Butyrate is a flavoring.


4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
   Commonly known as Ajinomoto, MSG has no taste in itself but, when added to savory food, brings out the flavor of the food.


5. Sodium Nitrite
   Sodium Nitrite is a preservative. Preservative additives are used to prevent food spoilage and to extend the shelf life of convenience food.


6. Anti-Oxidants
   Anti-oxidants prevent fruits from turning brown and foods containing fat and oil from going rancid.
   
   British label-coding system
   
   Additives used are either listed as names or "E" followed by numbers as shown below.


7. E150 -Caramel
   Caramel is a coloring made from sugar.


8. E322 - Lecithins
   Lecithin is used commercially in substances requiring a natural emulsifier and/or lubricant, from pharmaceuticals to protective coverings. For example, lecithin is the emulsifier that keeps cocoa and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating.


9. E471 - Fats
   Synthetic fats, produced from glycerol and natural fatty acids, mainly from plant origin, but also fats of animal origin may be used. The product generally is a mixture of different products, with a composition similar to partially digested natural fat. They act as emulsifiers and stabilizers.


10. E160a - Alpha carotene, Beta carotene and gamma carotene
    Orange or yellow plant pigments, found mainly in carrots, green leafed vegetables and tomatoes, which the human body converts into 'Vitamin A' in the liver. Fades on exposure to light.
    
    Used in butter and soft margarines, coffee sponge cakes, milk products and soft drinks.


11. E160b - Yellow to peach vegetable dye
    A yellow, peach or red vegetable dye obtained from the seed coat of the fruit of the Annatto tree, Bixa orellana. May be either oil-soluble or water soluble and is stable in processing, baking and brine.
    
    Used in cheese (Cheshire, Double Gloucester and Red Leicester), coleslaw, crisps, custard, fish fingers, flavored instant mashed potato, fruit and cream fillings and toppings, frying oil, ice cream and lollies, icings, liqueurs, low calorie spreads, margarine, meat balls, salad cream and mayonnaise, smoked fish, soft drinks, sponge cakes and puddings, steak and kidney pie pastry and yogurt.


12. E175 - Gold
    Most people are unaware that gold is used a food additive. As a food additive it is used solely for external decoration where it can be found on chocolate confectionery, in the covering of dragées and the decoration of sugar-coated flour confectionery.
    
    Chemically, gold is very inactive and therefore virtually harmless, however as there is no dietary requirement it is probably best avoided.

Reference: Uk Food Guide - E Number Index