Resumo de Preservatives

Turn over any ready meal to read the ingredients and you'll be
confronted by a long list of bewildering chemical names: polyphosphate,
potassium sorbate...what are these compounds and what are they doing in
our food? Health officials say that all chemicals added to food are
safe. But when do we hear about links between foood additives and
health problems such as allergies and even cancer?
In the Atlas of food, science policy expert Professor Eric
Millstone says around $20bn is spent each year by the food industry on
chemical compounds that are used to change the colour, flavour, texture
and shelf-life of food. He estimates that each of us ingests 6-7kg of
these additives a year. The food industry often defends its use
of additives by arguing that they stop food going bad and protect
consumer from food poisoning. But the compounds used to inhibit the
growth of harmful micro-organisms ( preservatives) and the compounds
used to prevent oils and fats from going rancid (anti-oxidants) account
for less than one per cent by weight of all additives used. About 90%
of the additives in use are actually cosmetic. They include 40
different colouring compounds ( used mostly in snacks, cereals, sweets
and drinks), 13 seetening compounds and a staggering 4.500 flavouring
compounds. Then there are prossesing aida such as emusifiers and
stabilisers which are used to keep water and oil mixed together in
products such as margarine and mayonnaise. How are all these chemicals
regulated? Until the 1950's 'negative lists were used wereby any
compound could be added to food unless it had beed banned. Most
countries now have 'positive' lists - only compounds in the lists can
be used. In 1983, the European Union created E-numbers, a positive list
that comprises hundreds of approved additives. For example E133 is the
colouring 'brilliant blue' while E951 is the widely used sweetener,
aspartame.
An additive is only given an E-number after its effects on human
health have been tested. The exception is flavouring, which are far
less tightly regulated than other additives. They're not tested for
safety becasuse they're only used in very small amounts.
In total, 540 food additives have been declared safe for our consumption.

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