Kayla Pietig

Are Food Additives Safe?

What exactly is a food additive?Technically a food additive is anything that

you add to your food!

Legally…

The Legal DefinitionLegally, the term refers to "any

substance where the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result -- directly or indirectly -- in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food." This definition includes any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation or storage of food.

Think about this….

Can you name a food additive?

Why do we even use additives?Uses:

Safety and FreshnessNutritional ValueImprove Food Quality

Regulation of food additivesThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

has the primary and legal responsibility for approving food additives as “safe”. Today food and color additives are more

regulated and monitored than anytime in the past.

What does the FDA consider when approving additives?

Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)

GRAS is a label that the FDA uses to describe various products that are added to our foodItems on the GRAS list are scientifically proven

to be safeIf not approved for GRAS the FDA takes action

to prevent the distribution of the product

Product must be proven safe for the intended use before they are allowed to be on the market

Food Additive Types:Direct food additives

Indirect food additives

Color Additives

What are color additives?Certified colorsColors that are exempt from certification

What are Color Additives Used For?

What are color additives used for?• Offset color loss• Correct color variations and add enhancements• To make foods more “fun”

Common Additives You May Have Heard About…

Ingredient Type Purpose Seen on the Label As

Preservatives Prevent food spoilage and slow changes in color, texture, and flavor

sodium benzoate, calcium propionate, sodium nitrite, potassium sorbate, BHA, BHT

Flavors and Spices Add natural and synthetic flavors

Natural flavoring, artificial flavor, spices, Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Fat Replacers Provide mouthfeel, flavor, and texture to replace the fat in low-fat or fat-free foods

Olestra, cellulose gel, carrageenan. modified food starch, guar gum, xanthan gum, whey protein concentrate

Stabilizers, thickeners, texturizers

Provide texture and mouthfeel

Gelatin, pectin, guar gum, carrageenan, xanthan gum, whey

How are ingredients listed on the label?

Manufacturers are required to list all ingredients on the package labelProduct order

Greatest amount to the least amount

How Ingredients are listedDescriptionUse

Commonly Researched AdditivesAmaranth

Tartrazine

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite

Amaranth

Amaranth is a general term that refers to a whole family of herbsThe “Hopi Red Dye” was originally used by the Native American

tribe , the Hopi for a deep red dye

Today we know it better as FD&C Red No. 2

Uses

The “Red Scare”

Amaranth…

A study was conducted to determine the possible carcinogenic affects of the color additive Amaranth

Done with miceMice were given a dose of 200 or 1000

mg/kg body weightExamined the mice gut and feces after

given the dose of amaranth

Study Results…

Is Amaranth Safe??

Study Conclusions…Supported amaranth as a safe additive

Amaranth is considered a non mutagenic substance

Amaranth

Amaranth is still used in Canada and Europe today.

Despite research studies that support Amaranth as a safe additive the FDA banned its use in the United States based on the concept that the additive could possibly not be safe!

TartrazineAlso known as FD & C Yellow No. 5, C.I. No.

19140, and Food Yellow No. 4

Orange/yellow powder that will dissolve in water

Uses

Tartrazine Study“Effects of tartrazine on exploratory

behavior in a three-generation toxicity study in mice”

Study done with mice

Study ResultsThe levels of tartrazine that where used in

this study did produce a few side-effects on neurobehavior through the generations of mice.

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Uses

Carcinogen or Anti-Carcinogen??

BHA as a Carcinogen

BHA as a carcinogen research…Study done to determine the relationship

between BHA and bladder cancer and cancer of the forestomach in mice

Study to determine BHA carcinogenic affects in Japanese House Shrews

Study ResultsIncreased cell growth and cancer in the

forestomach of miceIncreased cell growth in the lungs

Anti-Carcinogenic Affects of BHA

When given in large doses BHA may be a possible anticarcinogen

Still needs more research to confirm the claim

No definite answer!

BHACarcinogen vs. anti-carcinogen

We do not fully understand how BHA works in both situations!Still need more research

What can we believe about BHA?No specific answerCurrently it is an approved additive that has

been found to be safe by the FDA

Sodium Nitrite & Sodium Nitrate

What do you think?Is the research supporting the

safety of additives trustworthy and reliable?

Regulation of food additives

Once the additive is found safe and is approved:

1. The FDA issues regulations2. Consultation with the USDA3. Continued monitoring of the recently

approved additive

The Delaney Clause An amendment to the Food, Drug, and

Cosmetic Act of 1938First Applied to the use of pesticides, but was

later removed from the Delaney Clause when and amendment was added to the Food Quality and Protection Act

Current appears in the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic ActSection 409- on food additivesSection 721- on color additives

What do you think?

Do you think that the FDA current system in approving and monitoring food and color additives is adequate?

Do you think that they need more information, or need to provide more information about food additives on the label?

How Can Consumers Find Information on Additive Safety?Find information on what the FDA approves

for food additives and which additives are on the GRAS list, visit:

www.fda.gov

What Does the Research Say?There is research available that support

certain additives as a carcinogenic agent and there are also studies that show some additives are completely safe and could also have anti-cancer affects.

Take Home Message

Food additives have been in use since medieval times as a way to preserve food and prevent spoilage.

Technological advances has allowed us to find new ways to preserve our foods while also adding flavor, color, and creating a desirable mouthfeel.

Food additives are in a majority of products we can consume and are currently regulated by the FDA for product safety.