Additives Used in Large Scale Production

1. Additives Used in Large Scale Production

2. Additives can be; • Natural – extractions from plants or animals e.g. beetroot juice or vitamin C • synthetic/nature identical – have the same chemical structure as natural additives but made in a laboratory • Chemical/artificial – made by scientists e.g. saccharin

3. Why are they added? • Additives are used in small quantities to preserve, colour, enhance the flavour & add nutritional value to food products • There are over 300 listed additives that are continual reviewed to ensure they are safe (& 3000 flavourings) • Additives are shown by name or E number on packaging, an E number shows that it has passed the European Community Safety Standards

4. What do they do? • Preservatives • Colours • sweeteners • Anti-oxidants • Emulsifiers & stabilizers • Flavour enhancers • Thickeners • Gelling agents • Raising agents • Anti-caking agents • Flour improvers • nutrients

5. What do they do? • Preservatives – added to extend the shelf life by preventing the growth of microbes. Processed foods with a long shelf life often have preservatives added unless they have be preserved by another method such as freezing, canning or drying • Colours – added to make food more attractive or to replace the colours lost during processes • Sweeteners – either intense such as saccharin used in low sugar products-only a small amount is needed or bulk such as hydrogenated glucose syrup which is used in the same quantities as sugar

6. What do they do? • Anti-oxidants – added to stop fats becoming rancid & prevents from slow enzymic browning • Emulsifiers and stabilizers – added to allow fats & oils to mix with water to make low fat spreads & salad dressings • Flavour enhancers – added to replace flavour lost during processing or to add flavour • Thickens – which are used to thicken liquids • Gelling agents added to change the consistency of food e.g. sweets & jams

7. What do they do? Raising agents – added to give a lighter texture to baked good Anti-caking improvers – added to stops dry ingredients from sticking together Flour improvers – helps the properties of flour Nutrients – used to enrich certain foods & to replace nutrients lost during processing

8. Type, E numbers, found in; • Preservatives – E200s – soft drinks, processed meats & cheeses, dried fruit, dehydrated vegetables, beer, wine • Colours – E110s – fruit yogurts, sweets, gravy mix • Anti-oxidants – E300-E321– veg oils, packet desserts, margarine • Emulsifiers & stabilizers – E322-E499 – chocolate, powdered milk, cheese, mayonnaise • Flavour enhancers – E600s/flavourings/natural flavours – sweets, spicy food products, herby food products, soups snacks • Thickeners – sauces, salad dressings, syrups, • Gelling agents – i.e. E440 which is pectin used in jams • Raising agents – sodium bicarbonate • Anti-caking agents – calcium silicate – flour, packet soups & desserts, cocoa powder • Flour improvers – ascorbic acid (vitamin C) – strong flour • Nutrients – vitamins & iron

9. Advantages of food additives • Many foods would not exist without additives • Prevents food spoilage • Prolongs shelf life • Increases or maintains the nutritional value • Improves appearance • Improves flavour • can help the processing • Can help the preparation

10. Disadvantages of food additives • Long-term effects of consuming additives are not always known • Some people are sensitive to additives • The could be unnecessary • Some people do not like chemicals being put in their food • They could be used to mask inferior food