A&E

Front Page News Sports Business Lifestyles Opinion A&E

Home>Featured Articles>Soft Drinks

Most Common Food Additives

March 02, 1989|By Bill Stokes. Following is a list of a baker`s dozen of common additives you are likely to find in your packaged and processed food: - BHA and BHT are butyl compounds used to prolong shelf life of foods containing fat and oil. They are added to breakfast cereals, enriched rice and many convenience foods. There has been pressure for further testing of their effect on the liver. - Caffeine occurs naturally in some beverages and is added to some soft drinks. It is not added to any food. Caffeine, a drug, is a stimulant to the nervous system and is mildly addictive. - Caramel, produced by cooking sugar, is one of the most common additives. In one form, manufactured with ammonia as a chemical agent, tests have shown caramel may cause health problems. - EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) is considered a safe additive and is used to trap metal impurities that cause clouding in beverages; in other foods, it is used to retard staling and discoloration. - Lactic acid is used to boost or adjust acid in cheese and olives and to add tartness to ice creams and beverages. Nonacidic lactates prevent discoloration of fruits and vegetables. It is considered safe. - Monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer, may cause temporary allergic discomfort to some adults and has been banned in baby food. It should be avoided by pregnant women and those on a low sodium diet. - Niacin, or vitamin B-3, is added to many processed foods, particularly cereals. It is safe, and is often cited by food companies in nutritional claims.

- Polysorbates are emulsifiers used to preserve texture and freshness in such things as bread, rolls and doughnuts. They are generally considered safe, but the FDA placed limits on the amount of contamination with dioxane after this known carcinogen was found in polysorbates. - Sodium, listed on food labels as salt (sodium chloride) and other sodium compounds, is widely used in processed and fast foods and is a factor in high blood pressure. - Sodium nitrite is used to treat billions of pounds of meat annually to preserve color and prevent spoilage and bacterial growth. Some research shows bacon containing nitrites, if cooked at high temperatures, can produce cancer- causing nitrosamines. - Sugar, from the standpoint of consumption, tops the list of food additives by a wide margin. Some breakfast cereals, for example, get nearly half their calories from added sugar and it is the main ingredient in many soft drinks. Refined sugar, from which the nutrients have been removed, makes up 10 to 20 percent of the American diet. Sugar is linked to dental cavities. - Sulfites, often found as sodium bisulfite, are commonly used to retain color and prevent bacterial growth in foods and beverages. Some people are allergic to sulfiting agents, and it is the only additive known to have caused deaths in humans. - Yellow dye No. 5, widely used in processed foods, is known to cause allergic reactions in some people. Featured Articles Michael Jordan marries longtime girlfriend

How much does that touring actor make?

Jesse Jackson Sr. responds to 'Duck Dynasty' star's comments

MORE: Valerie Lawson talks 'Mary Poppins, She Wrote' and P.L Travers Winter boot showdown 141 counts in girl's slaying Just where will it be legal to carry a gun in Illinois? Man feared to be Gacy victim found alive in Montana after 41 years 'Mary Poppins, She Wrote' author discusses P.L Travers, 'Saving Mr. Banks'

Related Articles

What's In This Stuff?

October 27, 1999

`I Was A Teenage Chef`

September 29, 1988

Strategies For Starting The Day Off Right

February 25, 1993

Quaker Shakes Up Management Team

July 14, 1992

Find More Stories About

Soft Drinks Convenience Foods Lactic Acid

Terms of Service Privacy Policy Index by Date Index by Keyword www.chicagotribune.com Connect Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter