Natural vs.

Synthetic
Preservatives:
Which is Better?
By Evan Meade
What are preservatives?
Preservatives are typically defined as any edible product added to
food to keep it from spoiling. There are two types, natural and
synthetic or artificial. While natural preservatives are usually defined
as any product that is prevents spoiling and is produced in nature, the
general consensus of the definition of synthetic preservatives is that
they prevents spoilage and have been modified in a lab environment.
History
Food preservation has taken place for thousands of years, and is
commonly thought to have started with salt in Africa. Alcohol is also
an ancient form of preservation, saving the juice harvested from
grapes and chemically changing it to keep it from spoiling. These
natural preservatives were used up until the 1800s. The invention of
modern chemical engineering also furthered the ability of synthetic
preservatives as chemical preservatives have been created.
Natural Preservative
Natural food preservatives include products such as salt, sugar,
alcohol, vitamins, minerals, and all other preservatives that form in
nature. While natural preservatives are typically seen as healthier,
they can be just as bad as synthetic ones. Natural preservatives are
far less plentiful, more expensive, and less specialised than synthetic
additives. They can also be just as bad for your health in the long run.
For example sugar has shown many negative, long term effects.
Synthetic Preservatives
Synthetic preservatives are preservatives developed in labs. In the
mid-1900s the FDA approved the first chemical preservative, benzoic
acid, for use in food products and they have approved hundreds
since. Synthetic preservatives can be more easily produced and are
more sustainable than their natural counterparts. However, chemical
additives have occasionally been approved prior to proper research
being done resulting in unanticipated health problems.
Causes for Concern
Even though they are primarily safe, some have caused health
problems. The first major incident involving artificial preservatives
started in the 1870s with the use of boric acid. It was shown to be
highly toxic but wasnt finally banned until the 1950s. There were also
other concerns, such as the large fear of artificial sweeteners that
grew after it was discovered that some caused cancer, and a series of
other concerns involving carcinogens and links to ADHD.
Preservatives in Todays News
A recent target for preservatives is fast food chains and profits for
these companies have been falling as a result. McDonalds has
promised to change roughly half of their menu to remove additives.
However, they are using natural preservatives as an alternative which
are just as, if not more, unhealthy. With other companies following
the giants example, more and more companies are trading in
cosumer health for a brief PR boost.
The Future of Preservatives
There are a number of questions about the future of preservatives.
On one hand, a large portion of the US population has moved towards
organic products which typically dont use artificial preservatives.
However there is also a large opposition to overly salty or sugary
products, which are the top natural preservatives. On the other hand,
the developing world is increasingly moving in the artificial direction.
This means that the future of preservatives is very uncertain.
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"Food additive." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.

"Artificial Preservatives." Diet.com. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.

"Food Preservation: History, Methods, Types." SchoolWorkHelper. SWH.com, Web. 28 Apr. 2017.

Pruitt, Sarah. "History of Food, Drinks, Snacks & More | Hungry History." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 8

Dec. 2015. Web. 28 Apr. 2017.

Premack, Rachel. "Why You Might Want to be Skeptical of McDonalds latest food changes." The Washington Post. WP

Company, 02 Aug. 2016. Web. 11 May 2017.