fuhhh!!!!dah puas mmbebel sal Mr.SOAP and Mrs.Detergent mari kta cte sal tjuk di ats lak...okey you all lets start now ~ ~
       firstly let beginning with the types of food additives....food additives can be classified according to their source or function...food additives can be natural or synthetic compounds..

      food additives are added to food to:
           (a)supply nutrients           (b)enhance the colour                   
           (c)add flavour                  (d)improve the food texture  
          (e)preserve the food


                                                                             OnioN

                                                                            TuMErIc


                                                           ciNnAmOn


                                                                           GaRlIc



               for our information.....in ancient times table salt was used as a preservative to preserve fish,ham and bacon...sugar has been used to preserve jelly,fruit jams and fruits...now!!at present there are more than 2500 food additives.
                        the chemical compound used as preservatives today includes:
                           (a)benzoic acid C6H5COOH
                           (b)sodium benzoate,C6H5COONa
                           (c)calcium propionate(C2H5COO)2Ca
                           (d)sodium nitrate,NaNO2
             the preservatives are added to a food so as to inhabit the growth of bacteria,yeasts,moulds and other microorganisms..with added preservatives,food lasts longer.that is they increase or extend the shelf life of food....
           other type of food preservatives are: a) vinegar              
                                                                  b)sulphur dioxide
                                                                  c)sorbic acid
                                                                  d)propanoic acid
                                                                  e)potassium sorbate
                                                                  f)sodium nitrate

   sodium nitrate-to preserve frozen meat,tinned meat.sausage and bergers.
        (prevents the growth of bacteria especially clostridium botulinum.)
                   (give meat a fresh reddish colour making lokk fresh)  



                                                

     sodium benzoate-preserve friut juice,chilli sauce,tomato sauce...it is not hazard to health when small amounts are used.but in big amounts sodium benzoate will damage the nervous system.some people are also allergic to it...


                                                    


      vinegar-to preserve cut fruits vegetable(jeruk) and chilli.because common bacteria will not be able to                          live in an acid medium...


                                                                     

    sulphur dioxide- is often used as a preserve in soft drinks and sauces. 


                                                           

okey lets continue with Antioxidants.....
               food tends to be oxidised or deteriorate when kept for a long time.antioxidantsare normally added to prevents deterioration of fats and oils.These antioxidants prevents fats and oils from becoming rancid when exposed to air...the addition of antioxidants extends the shelf life of fats and oil.

          vegetable oils contain natural antioxidants,such as vitamin E(preserve oil)...by the Food Act of 1983,food manufacturers can use eleven types of antioxidants in food.these antioxidants includes:
            (a)ascorbic acid                          (b)ascorbic palmitate
            (c)citric acid                                (d)isopropyl citrate

       processed food that contains antioxidants are
             (a)cakes               (b)biscuits                (c)margarine
             (d)deep fried food                                (e)vegetable oil
 vitamin C also  used as an antioxidants for fresh fruits and frozen fish


                                            



                                                    





                                                       
           FLavouring agents....

     flavouring agents are food additives.they are added to food to make the food taste better so as to make them more appealing....there are more than 1750 natural and synthetic artificial flavouring known..the two most common food flavouring agents are monosodium glutamate and aspartame..

  monosodium glutamate(MSG) is a white crystalline powder with a chemical formula of NaC5H8NO4....it has no flavour of its own,but enhance the flavour of foods in meat and fish...it is often used to increase the flavour of:
                    (a)packaged food            (b)fast foods
                     (c)chinese cuisine
 
 there will be some side effects from the consumption of MSG..in fact some people are very sensitive to it...Monosodium glutamate is usually produced from wheat,corn,soybeans or rice..

    Aspartame is non-carbohydrate sweetener...it is used to make food taste sweeter..its chemical name is 1-methyl-N-aspartilphenilamina...it is about 200 times as sweet as natural sugar...aspartame is suitable for diabetic patient..it is also suitable for people who want to lose weight but enjoy the sweetness of food..this is because aspartame has no caloric value...aspartame break down slowly at room temperature..it break down rapidly at higher temperatures..aspartame is not suitable for use when cooking food..it also not suitable for people who suffer from a disease called phenylketonuria...

                                                         
                                              

                                                                    

        Asesulframe-K is used as a sweetener in:
            (a)drinks                            (b)sauce
             (c)yogurt                           (d)chocolate   
                    (e)alcoholic drinks
    it also can be used at higher temperature
                                                 
                                                                                         

                                                                                        

                                                       

                                                

  Ester also have a swet fruity smell...it also are often used in making jam,cakes and cordials..the following are the types of different flavours of the ester:
     (a) methyl butanoate-apple
     (b)octyl ethanoate-orange
     (c)methyl-2-aminobenzoate-grapes
     (d)pentyl ethanoate-bananas
     (e)pentyl propanoate-apricot
     (f)isobutyl methanoate-raspberry


                                                              




                                                          


  
   stabilisers and thickening agents...
          tehese are added to food making food taste smoother and finer..a stabiliser prevents the separation of food into layers of oil and water....lecithin is another common food stabiliser..it can be found in egg yolk and soy beans..other food stabilisers are gelatine and acacia gum..stabilisers are often added to food emulsion such as:
           (a)ice-cream
           (b)salad sauce
           (c)milk
           (d)creamy soup
   the stabiliser helps them to remain as they are without separating the food into layer of oil and water.

       Thickening agents are often added into food to alter the texture of food.this helps food to have a finer texture..thickening agents absorb water..when they are added,food will become thicker and more gel like..starch is commonly used as a thickening agent..other thickening agents are:
        (a)pectin
        (b)alginate
   
    pectin is often used in jam and alginate is made from seaweeds..


                                                         


                                                                        



     Food colouring...

       food colouring can be made from numerous dyes and pigments..they are often used to make the food appear nice and fresh...colouring ingredients in food colouring include:
     (a)vegetables dyes.they are made from vegetables sources
     (b)inorganic pigments.
     (c)combinations of organic and metallic compounds.

 natural food has a natural colour of its own..example:
     (a)most vegetables are green in colour(due to chlorophyll)
     (b)orange carrots are orange in colour(due to its carotene)
   during food processing,these natural colour may be lost and made unattaractive.the addition of a suitable food colouring will help to bring back its natural colour.
 
  azo dyes are synthetic dyes
     (a)they are usually red,brown or yellow
     (b)they are manufactured from an organic group of compounds called amines.
     (c)tartrazine is an azo dye.it is orange in colour.it often added to orange juice.

triphenyl dyes have the following colours:
    (a)green
    (b)blue
    (c)purple

brilliant blue (FCF) is a triphenyl dye.it is bluish in colour.it is used to give colour to sweets..other types of dye used are:
       (a)indigontine
       (b)carmoisine
       (c)poncean 4R
       (d)brilliant black PN
       (e)fast green FCF
       (f)chocolate brown HT
       (g)erythrosine Bs
                                                       

                                                                   

                                                             
      Label on food packs

     label on food packs are required by law to give the following information:
       (a)contents of the pack
       (b)weight of the food
       (c)food additives
       (d)expiry date
       (e)nutrition contents of food such as vitamins and minerals

    if we read the food labels carefully,it will help us to make a better decision when buying the food.we should avoid food with labels showing that it has harmful additives such as colouring agents.we should also avois food that has passed its expiry date.

                          



                                       
       
Older Post | Newer Posts