2.3.6.16 Curing Agents
These are the food additives that are used to preserve meat. They give desirable color and flavor to the meat. They prevent the growth of microorganism and prevent toxin formation.
2.3.6.17 Probiotics
Probiotics are live microbial additives that are used in many food products like fermented milk. It can balance intestinal microbial composition, reduce the serum cholesterol, improve the immunity and metabolic process, and reduce the food allergy symptom of infants. Probiotic food comprises 60%–70% of total available functional food in the market. A wide variety of microorganism is considered as potential probiotics but the predominant bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species. Other probiotic species include Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Saccharomyces, Propionibacterium, and Aspergillus species. Lactic acid bacteria can contribute to safety of food, offer organoleptic, nutritional, and health advantages. Viability of probiotic microorganism is dependent on factors like food ingredients, processing operation, packaging and storage, fermentation conditions, and presence of protective agents. Lactic acid bacteria are able to produce exopolysaccharides that play a major role in the production of fermented dairy products like yoghurt, cheese, and milk-based dessert. The exopolysaccharide is used as a texturizing and stabilizing agent. Nowadays, consumers prefer safe and healthy food without additives. The exopolysaccharide has the potential for development of improved products like low fat/low milk solid yoghurt. These exopolysaccharides have anti-tumor and immune modulating capacity so with these the lactic acid bacteria have the potential for development of functional food [22].
2.3.6.18 Other Food Additives
Other food additives include clarifying agent like gelatine and synthetic resin that remove the sediment and haziness of fruit juice. Enzymes are added to get desirable changes like pectinase used for clarification of juice, papain for meat tenderization, and renin for cheese making. Freezing agents like liquid nitrogen that evaporates very quickly and used to quick chilling of food. Solvents like alcohol and glycerine are used to dissolve flavor, color, and inert gases for packaging to prevent oxidative changes.
2.3.6.19 Indirect Food Additives
These are the food additives that become the part of food due to its packaging, storage, or other handling process. They are generally present in trace amount. Its regulation guideline by FDA includes that all food packaging material manufacturers must ensure that all materials coming in contact with food are safe before getting permitted for its use. These additives are also termed as incidental additives. For example, these groups of additives may include chemical substances used in packaging material often in detectable level but they can migrate into the food. FDA found that a chemical known as acrylonitrile used for the fabrication of plastic beverage bottles may migrate into food and may cause cancer. So, then its approval was withdrawn.
2.4 Health Effect of Food Additives and Preservatives
Additives and preservatives are essential for food the storage of food. With the increase of the use of processed food, there is an increasing use of food additives and preservatives. As some of these additives were found to have adverse health effect, there was a need to approval of these food additives and preservatives after the details study of the effect of them on human being. Some of the food additives were found to cause allergies, hyperactivity, asthma, and reactions like rashes, vomiting, and headache. They can be the cause of different health hazards like the following:
a. Artificial food colors are found to be carcinogenic agent. They can cause hyperactivity and allergies.
b. Nitrites and nitrates can develop carcinogen nitrosamine.
c. Sulfites can cause asthmatic reaction.
d. Sweeteners can cause obesity, dental cavity, diabetes, and increase blood fat. Artificial sweetener can cause hyperactivity and some of them are found carcinogen. Government cautions children and pregnant women against the use of it.
e. Artificial flavor and monosodium glutamate can cause allergic reactions.
f. BHT can be toxic to nervous system.
g. Salt can increase the blood pressure [23].
Table 2.7 shows some specific additives and their health effect.
Table 2.7 List of additives and preservatives that can affect human health [24].
| Additive | Role of the additive | Food material where it is added | Possible health hazard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erythrosin | Food color | Canned food, confectionary, and dairy products | Possible risk of thyroid tumor in animal study |
| Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 | Food color | Different candy and confectionary product | Allergic reaction to some people. |
| Tartrazine | Food color | Ice cream, carbonated drinks | Skin rashes, asthma, and headache |
| Carmosine | Food color | Dairy products | Cause tumor to animals and DNA damage |
| Amaranth | Food color | Alcoholic beverages | Can cause asthma and allergies |
| Indigo Carmine | Food color | Bakery, confectionery, and dairy products | Can cause skin rashes, DNA damage and tumor to animals |
| Brilliant Blue | Food color | Dairy products and sweets | Can cause skin rashes, DNA damage and tumor to animals |
| Sodium benzoate | Preservative |
Carbonated beverages,
|
