Understanding Food Additives, Their Use, And Side Effects

Food additives are substances or chemicals that are added to food products. The point is to keep food fresh and improve its color, aroma and texture. In Indonesia, food additives are called Food Additives (BTP). All food products that use additives must be approved by the Republic of Indonesia Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM). All materials mixed in food products during the processing, storage process, and packaging process can be called additives in food.

Understanding the Additives and Their Functions in Food

Additives are generally added to foods for:

• Slow decay.
• Improve or maintain nutritional value.
• Make bread and cake expand.
• Enhances taste, color and appearance.
• Maintaining the consistency of taste and texture of food.

Food additives are usually attached to food labels with chemical names. For example, salt is sodium chloride, vitamin C is ascorbic acid or vitamin E, and vitamin E is alpha tocopherol. Not all additives have a common name, but it's also a good idea to remember that all foods are made from chemicals, just like our bodies. Manufacturers usually only use as many additives as are needed to achieve the desired results. The most commonly used additives are salt, sugar and corn syrup, vitamin C, vitamin E, and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Food additives can be divided into two types, namely natural additives and synthetic or artificial additives. Natural food additives can come from plants, animals or minerals, as well as herbs and herbs that can add flavor to food. According to the world health agency (WHO) and the international food and agriculture organization (FAO), the types of food additives can be classified into 3 main categories, namely food taste, enzyme preparation, and other additives.

• Food flavoring substances

This is a substance that is added to food to enhance aroma and taste. These food additives are most widely used in various food products such as soft drinks, cereals, cakes, and even yogurt. Natural flavoring ingredients can be from nuts, fruits, vegetables, to spices. Food flavorings are also available in synthetic form which are similar to the taste of certain foods.

• Enzyme preparation

This is a type of additive that is usually obtained through the process of extraction from plants or animal products, or from microorganisms such as bacteria. This additive is used as an alternative chemical-based additive, usually used in baking cakes (to improve the dough), making fruit juice, wine and beer (to help ferment), and also making cheese.

• Other additives

This includes preservatives, coloring agents, and sweeteners. Preservatives can slow decomposition caused by mold, air, bacteria, or yeast. In addition, preservatives also maintain food quality and help control contamination that can cause foodborne diseases, such as botulism.

The preservative BTP types that are permitted to be used in food include sorbic acid, benzoic acid, ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate, methyl para-hydroxybenzoate, sulfite, nisin, nitrite, nitrate, propionic acid, and lysozyme hydrochloride. Meanwhile, food coloring agents are used to replace colors lost during preparation or make food look more attractive, and artificial sweeteners are often used instead of sugar because they contain few calories. There are various types of food additives and their uses, some of which are:

• Antioxidants, to prevent food from oxidizing which causes food to smell.
• Acidity regulators are food additives for acidifying, neutralizing, and / or maintaining the degree of food acidity.
• Humectants to keep food moist
• Mineral salt to improve texture and taste.
• Stabilizer and firming agent, to maintain food solubility.
• Emulsifiers are substances that can inhibit the accumulation of fat in food.
• The developer (raising agent) is a food additive to release gas thereby increasing the volume of the dough.
• Flour treatment to improve roasting results.
• Glazing agent or coating agent to improve the appearance and protect food.
• Anti-caking (anti-caking agent) is a food additive that is added to the powder or granule, to prevent the packing of food products.
• Foaming agents are food additives to maintain the consistency of froth formation.
• Gelling agent (gelling agent) is a food additive to form a gel.

Additive Side Effects

To determine whether food additives can be used without harmful effects is to set an acceptable daily intake (ADI). ADI is an estimate of the maximum amount of additives in foods that can be safely consumed every day for a lifetime, without any adverse health effects. The maximum limit for the use of additives in these foods has been determined by BPOM. For producers who violate the limits of these provisions can be sanctioned in the form of written warnings to revocation of marketing authorization. There are several food additives that are suspected of having side effects on health, including:

• Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharine, sodium cyclamate, and sucralose.
• Benzoic acid in fruit juice products.
• Lecithin, gelatin, cornstarch, and propylene glycol in food.
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG).
• Nitrates and nitrites in sausages and other processed meat products.
• Sulfites in beer, wine and packaged vegetables.

To protect yourself from the adverse effects of excess food additives, people with food allergies or intolerances need to carefully check the ingredient list on the packaging label. Reactions to any additive can be mild or severe. For example, some people can experience worsening asthma after consuming sulfite-containing foods or drinks. If certain reactions occur to your body after consuming food and beverage products that contain a type of additive, you are advised to see a doctor immediately.