Common Food Additives Research Articles

Effects of Food Additives and Preservatives on Processed Food

Foods are substances or mixture of substances both solid and/or liquid, which are intended for human consumption or ingestion for their nutritional pleasurable benefits. Food additives are organic substances that are intentionally added to food in small quantities during production and processing to improve or maintain the quality of the processed foods. Food preservatives is a class of food additives that help to present food spoilage by preventing the growth of microorganism .The effectiveness of preserve foods were tested with two parameters such as pH value ,moisture content at the interval of 0 days ,5 days, 15 days, 25 days. Two types of methods are used to preserve i.e. traditional and modern method. Under the traditional method I use salting and sun drying method and under the modern method, Ultrasonication and microwave method are used .In ultrasonication method, Nano particle such as Titanium dioxide is use as a preservative. Result of processed foods on physico-chemicals showed that pH was reduced on 25th days and moisture content was reduced on 25th days. With the ever growing world population and the need to store and transport the food from one place to another where it is needed food preservation becomes necessary in order to increase its shelf life and maintain & improve the quality of processed foods .The most common food additives and preservatives used are sodium benzoate , sodium chloride, titanium dioxide .The aim of this review is to summarize current information about food additives and its effects and increase the shelf life of processed foods.

A New Laccase Based Biosensor for Tartrazine.

Laccase enzyme, a commonly used enzyme for the construction of biosensors for phenolic compounds was used for the first time to develop a new biosensor for the determination of the azo-dye tartrazine. The electrochemical biosensor was based on the immobilization of laccase on functionalized methacrylate-acrylate microspheres. The biosensor membrane is a composite of the laccase conjugated microspheres and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) coated on a carbon-paste screen-printed electrode. The reaction involving tartrazine can be catalyzed by laccase enzyme, where the current change was measured by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at 1.1 V. The anodic peak current was linear within the tartrazine concentration range of 0.2 to 14 μM (R2 = 0.979) and the detection limit was 0.04 μM. Common food ingredients or additives such as glucose, sucrose, ascorbic acid, phenol and sunset yellow did not interfere with the biosensor response. Furthermore, the biosensor response was stable up to 30 days of storage period at 4 °C. Foods and beverage were used as real samples for the biosensor validation. The biosensor response to tartrazine showed no significant difference with a standard HPLC method for tartrazine analysis.

Stability of DON and DON-3-glucoside during baking as affected by the presence of food additives

ABSTRACTThe mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most common mycotoxins of cereals worldwide, and its occurrence has been widely reported in raw wheat. The free mycotoxin form is not the only route of exposure; modified forms can also be present in cereal products. Deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3-glucoside) is a common DON plant conjugate. The mycotoxin concentration could be affected by food processing; here, we studied the stability of DON and DON-3-glucoside during baking of small doughs made from white wheat flour and other ingredients. A range of common food additives and ingredients were added to assess possible interference: ascorbic acid (E300), citric acid (E330), sorbic acid (E200), calcium propionate (E282), lecithin (E322), diacetyltartaric acid esters of fatty acid mono- and diglycerides (E472a), calcium phosphate (E341), disodium diphosphate (E450i), xanthan gum (E415), polydextrose (E1200), sorbitol (E420i), sodium bicarbonate (E500i), wheat gluten and malt flour. The DON content was reduced by 40%, and the DON-3-glucoside concentration increased by >100%, after baking for 20 min at 180°C. This confirmed that DON and DON-3-glucoside concentrations can vary during heating, and DON-3-glucoside could even increase after baking. However, DON and DON-3-glucoside are not affected significantly by the presence of the food additives tested.

Use of Food Additives to Control Postharvest Citrus Blue Mold Disease

The aim of this study was to find an alternative to the chemical fungicide currently used in the control of postharvest citrus diseases. The antifungal activity of 10 salt compounds, considered as common food additives was assayed in in vitro and in vivo trials against Penicillium italicum, causal agent of citrus blue mold. Among the 10 tested salt compounds, sodium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, copper sulfate, sodium EDTA and sodium metabisulfite completely inhibited mycelial growth of Penicillium italicum at 20 mM. Colony growth of P. italicum on pH adjusted medium was evaluated. Results indicate that P. italicum can grow on both acidic and alkaline pH, with the optimum growth occurred in the range of 4.0 and 8.0. Results of the in vivo trials with tested salt compounds indicate that sodium metabisulfite (100 and 200 mM), boric acid (400 mM), sodium salicylate and sodium sulfite (200, 300 and 400 mM) completely inhibited blue mold development on citrus fruit. Boric acid (400 mM) and sodium metabisulfite (100 mM) gave the best results as they completely inhibited the fungus development without damaging fruit rind. Such healthy products therefore may represent a sustainable alternative to the use of chemical fungicides for controlling postharvest diseases of citrus fruit.

Effect of organic and inorganic salts against sour rot (Geotrichum candidum) of Tomato

Carbendazim and nine selected organic and inorganic salt compounds, considered as common food additives, were evaluated for their activity against Geotrichum candidum, causal agent of tomato sour rot. The maximum inhibition of mycelial growth were recorded in carbendazim (82.9%) followed by sodium carbonate (43.9%), while minimum inhibition was recorded in magnesium sulphate (6.0%) as compared to control. Carbendazim was found most effective and five salts in vitro were tested in vivo. All tested salt compounds significantly reduced the disease severity. The lowest disease severity was recorded in treatment of carbendazim (63.6%) followed by sodium carbonate (73.8%) and highest disease severity was recorded in sodium thiosulphate (83.5%) as compared to control (100%). Physiological loss in weight was minimum in carbendazim (2.3%) and calcium carbonate (3.0%), as compared to control (8.0%). Highest lycopene content of tomato was obtained in sodium carbonate (5.04 mg/100g) followed by boric acid (4.49 mg/100g), as compared to control (5.05 mg/100g).

Antimicrobial effect of emulsion-encapsulated isoeugenol against biofilms of food pathogens and spoilage bacteria

Food-related biofilms can cause food-borne illnesses and spoilage, both of which are problems on a global level. Essential oils are compounds derived from plant material that have a potential to be used in natural food preservation in the future since they are natural antimicrobials. Bacterial biofilms are particularly resilient towards biocides, and preservatives that effectively eradicate biofilms are therefore needed. In this study, we test the antibacterial properties of emulsion-encapsulated and unencapsulated isoeugenol against biofilms of Lis. monocytogenes, S. aureus, P. fluorescens and Leu. mesenteroides in tryptic soy broth and carrot juice. We show that emulsion encapsulation enhances the antimicrobial properties of isoeugenol against biofilms in media but not in carrot juice. Some of the isoeugenol emulsions were coated with chitosan, and treatment of biofilms with these emulsions disrupted the biofilm structure. Furthermore, we show that addition of the surfactant Tween 80, which is commonly used to disperse oils in food, hampers the antibacterial properties of isoeugenol. This finding highlights that common food additives, such as surfactants, may have an adverse effect on the antibacterial activity of preservatives. Isoeugenol is a promising candidate as a future food preservative because it works almost equally well against planktonic bacteria and biofilms. Emulsion encapsulation has potential benefits for the efficacy of isoeugenol, but the effect of encapsulation depends on the properties of food matrix in which isoeugenol is to be applied.

Electrical impedance measurements for detecting artificial chemical additives in liquid food products

Analyzing the content of artificial chemical additives in food products is important due to their twofold role in food processing and consumption, i.e., their positive impact on the shelf life or sensory properties of food products and possible negative effect on human health. The objective of the research was to evaluate the usefulness of the impedance spectroscopy technique in food quality control by testing its potential for determining the additives content in liquid food products. The impedance readings of one- and two-component solutions of twelve common food additives and six natural juices, both pure and with additions of selected chemical additives, were collected within the frequency range from 20 Hz to 2 MHz. The resulting spectra were interpreted with the use of the equivalent electrical circuit approach. An optimal circuit which allowed to describe electrical properties of the investigated samples was selected. It was characterized by four physical parameters, two of which may be used for the differentiation among food additives. The impedance spectroscopy technique has a potential to become an effective method for food quality and safety control in the context of the artificial additives content, because it allows to describe the content in a relatively simple manner when the compounds of interest are present in small quantities in chemically complex materials such as foods.

Responses to GM food content in context with food integrity issues: results from Australian population surveys

This study examined community responses to use of genetically modified (GM) content in food in the context of responses to familiar food additives by testing an empirically and theoretically derived model of the predictors of responses to both GM content and food integrity issues generally. A nationwide sample of 849 adults, selected at random from the Australian Electoral Roll, responded to a postal Food and Health Survey. Structural equation modelling analyses confirmed that ratings of general concern about food integrity (related to the presence of preservatives and other additives) strongly predicted negativity towards GM content. Concern about food integrity was, in turn, predicted by environmental concern and health engagement. In addition, both concern about food integrity generally and responses to GM content specifically were weakly predicted by attitudes to benefits of science and an intuitive (i.e., emotionally-based) reasoning style. Data from a follow-up survey conducted under the same conditions (N=1184) revealed that ratings of concern were significantly lower for use of genetic engineering in food than for four other common food integrity issues examined. Whereas the question of community responses to GM is often treated as a special issue, these findings support the conclusion that responses to the concept of GM content in food in Australia are substantially a specific instance of a general sensitivity towards the integrity of the food supply. They indicate that the origins of responses to GM content may be largely indistinguishable from those of general responses to preservatives and other common food additives.

Solid‐phase synthesis of graphene quantum dots from the food additive citric acid under microwave irradiation and their use in live‐cell imaging

The work demonstrated that solid citric acid, one of the most common food additives, can be converted to graphene quantum dots (GQDs) under microwave heating. The as-prepared GQDs were further characterized by various analytical techniques like transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence and UV-visible spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity of the GQDs was evaluated using HeLa cells. The result showed that the GQDs almost did not exhibit cytotoxicity at concentrations as high as 1000 µg mL(-1). In addition, it was found that the GQDs showed good solubility, excellent photostability, and excitation-dependent multicolor photoluminescence. Subsequently, the multicolor GQDs were successfully used as a fluorescence light-up probe for live-cell imaging.

Basophil Activation Test with Food Additives in Chronic Urticaria Patients

The role of food additives in chronic urticaria (CU) is still under investigation. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between food additives and CU by using the basophil activation test (BAT). The BAT using 15 common food additives was performed for 15 patients with CU who had a history of recurrent urticarial aggravation following intake of various foods without a definite food-specific IgE. Of the 15 patients studied, two (13.3%) showed positive BAT results for one of the tested food additives. One patient responded to monosodium glutamate, showing 18.7% of CD203c-positive basophils. Another patient showed a positive BAT result to sodium benzoate. Both patients had clinical correlations with the agents, which were partly determined by elimination diets. The present study suggested that at least a small proportion of patients with CU had symptoms associated with food additives. The results may suggest the potential utility of the BAT to identity the role of food additives in CU.

Application of a Coaxial-Like Sensor for Impedance Spectroscopy Measurements of Selected Low-Conductivity Liquids

The paper presents a coaxial-like sensor operating in the 20 Hz–2 MHz frequency range used to determine the electrical properties of selected liquids of low electrical conductivity. Examined materials included low-concentrated aqueous solutions of potassium chloride, sodium chloride and trisodium citrate, which are common food additives. Impedance spectra of the measurement cell filled with particular liquids were obtained and analyzed using the electrical equivalent circuit approach. The values of physical quantities and parameters describing the equivalent circuit components, including a constant phase element, were calculated for each sample. The applied sensor was also calibrated for electrical conductivity measurements up to 8 mS/m. The constant phase element parameters differed among the studied solutions and concentrations. This may provide a basis for a detection method of small amounts of compounds, such as food additives in low-concentrated aqueous solutions. To demonstrate the potential of the presented method, samples of purchased mineral water and a flavored drink containing various additives were tested.

Experimental Study of Homogenizing Tahina By by Using Common Food Additives

Experimental Study of Homogenizing Tahina By by Using Common Food Additives

Food patch testing for irritable bowel syndrome

The traditional classification of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a functional disorder has been challenged in recent years by evidence of ongoing low-grade gastrointestinal tract inflammation. Inflammation may alter gastrointestinal motility and thus be central to the pathogenesis of IBS. Many foods and food additives are known to cause allergic contact dermatitis. We hypothesize that allergenic foods and food additives may elicit a similar allergic reaction in the gastrointestinal tract, giving rise to symptoms suggestive of IBS. We sought to determine whether skin patch testing to a panel of foods and food additives may identify food allergens that may be responsible for symptoms of IBS. We performed skin patch testing to common allergenic foods and food additives on individuals with a history of or symptoms suggestive of IBS. We used patch test-guided avoidance diets to determine whether avoidance alleviates IBS symptoms. Thirty of the 51 study participants showed at least 1 doubtful or positive patch test result. Fourteen of the participants reported symptomatic improvement, ranging from slight to great, upon avoidance of the foods/food additives to which they reacted. Double-blind study design, inclusion of only patients with active IBS, larger sample size, more balanced gender distribution, testing of more foods/food additives, and longer duration of and more precise quantification of response to dietary avoidance are suggested for future studies. Allergic contact enteritis to ingested foods, food additives, or both may contribute to IBS symptoms. Patch testing may be useful in identifying the causative foods.

EVALUATION OF FOOD ADDITIVES AND LOW-TOXICITY COMPOUNDS AS NON-POLLUTING MEANS TO CONTROL THE MAIN POSTHARVEST DISEASES OF CALIFORNIA PEACHES

Abstract More than twenty food additives, GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe), and low-toxicity compounds were evaluated as nonpolluting means to control postharvest decay. The chemicals were tested at three concentrations in in vivo primary screenings with California-grown ‘Flavorcrest’, ‘O’Henry’, or ‘Last Chance’ peaches that had been artificially inoculated with seven major postharvest pathogens: Monilinia fructicola, Botrytis cinerea, Geotrichum candidum, Alternaria alternata, Penicillium expansum, Mucor piriformis, and Rhizopus stolonifer. Overall, the best compounds were potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and sodium sorbate at 200 mM, 2-deoxy-D-glucose at 100 mM, sodium carbonate at 400 mM, and potassium carbonate at 250 mM. Sodium and ammonium molybdates, acid lactic, and hydrogen peroxide were somewhat effective but phytotoxic to fruit skin tissues. The selected compounds, however, lacked effectiveness and persistence when tested against brown rot, caused by M. fructicola, in small-scale trials as 60 s dips in aqueous solutions at ambient temperatures. Heating the solutions to 55 or 60°C significantly increased treatment efficacy and brown rot incidence and severity were reduced by 35 and 25%, respectively, after 7 days of incubation at 20°C on peaches treated with potassium sorbate. However, treatment efficacy was not superior to water alone at these temperatures. Therefore, the potential for use of common food additives or GRAS compounds as alternative chemicals to conventional fungicides for the control of brown rot of California peaches is rather limited and heat treatments appear more suitable than these chemicals to be combined with other environmentally-friendly antifungal treatments for integrated disease control. The control by these means of other important peach postharvest diseases such as gray mold and sour rot, caused by B. cinerea and G. candidum, respectively, deserves further study.

One-step electrochemical approach for the preparation of graphene wrapped-phosphotungstic acid hybrid and its application for simultaneous determination of sunset yellow and tartrazine

We have demonstrated a one-step and effective electrochemical method to prepare graphene (GN) layer-wrapped phosphotungstic acid (PTA) hybrid on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using graphene as an electron transfer mediator. The PTA coupled with graphene provides good selectivity and high sensitivity for the simultaneous determination of two synthetic food colorants, sunset yellow and tartrazine, exhibiting as well-defined oxidation peaks in differential pulse voltammetry with a peak potential separation of ca. 260mV. The detection limit was found to be 0.5μgL−1 for sunset yellow and 30.0μgL−1 for tartrazine. The interference of some common food additives was studied and it was concluded that application of this method for the determination of sunset yellow and tartrazine in several commercial soft drink samples led to satisfactory results. This study provides useful further evidences for the development of portable sensors for food additives.

SENSORY EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT DRINKS FORMULATED FROM DAHI (INDIAN YOGURT) POWDER USING FUZZY LOGIC

ABSTRACT One standard brand of dahi (Indian yogurt) drink available in the market was used for the sensory evaluation of the three samples of dahi drinks prepared, using freeze-dried dahi powder (20 g), guar gum (0.11 g), locust bean gum (0.11 g), vanilla essence (three drops) and water (200 mL), where sample 1 (S1) was made from dahi powder and water; sample 2 (S2) was made from dahi powder, guar gum, locust bean gum and water; and sample 3 (S3) was prepared from dahi powder, guar gum, locust bean gum, vanilla essence and water. The main objective of the study was to analyze the sensory scores of the various samples of the dahi drinks and rank the different samples according to their sensory qualities, using fuzzy analysis. The general sensory attributes color, flavor, homogeneity and taste were also ranked according to their importance in the overall acceptability of the dahi drinks. Dahi was prepared in laboratory using a standard procedure, which was freeze dried, and used for further analysis. A panel of 11 judges was formed for the sensory evaluation of the drink samples and it was found that the market drink (S4) is the most acceptable and was ranked very good, whereas the S2 and S3 were also designated good followed by the S1 designated as satisfactory. So the ranking of the drinks was S4 > S3 > S2 > S1, showing the increasing acceptability of the dahi powder-based drinks with the addition of stabilizers and flavor compounds. The quality attributes were ranked as Taste > Flavor > Homogeneity > Color, showing the highest importance of taste and least importance of the color as a quality attribute in case of dahi drinks. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Along with the increase in food production, there is the requirement of advanced technologies for the effective preservation of food. Drying is one of the main processes of preservation, which increases the shelf life of the product, but this leads to loss of texture and taste of products such as dahi, an Indian yogurt, which can be a potential drink mix and a space food. This paper supports the prospects of dry dahi powder in the food beverage mix industry, added with some common food additives, without affecting the nutritional and sensory properties, and increases the scope of use of dahi mix as a military drink and in the preparation of drinks while traveling. Also, this paper encourages the possibility of use of the fuzzy analysis for the sensory evaluation of other fermented products which should be further explored and verified.

Artificial Sweeteners: A systematic review of metabolic effects in youth

Epidemiological data have demonstrated an association between artificial sweetener use and weight gain. Evidence of a causal relationship linking artificial sweetener use to weight gain and other metabolic health effects is limited. However, recent animal studies provide intriguing information that supports an active metabolic role of artificial sweeteners. This systematic review examines the current literature on artificial sweetener consumption in children and its health effects. Eighteen studies were identified. Data from large, epidemiologic studies support the existence of an association between artificially-sweetened beverage consumption and weight gain in children. Randomized controlled trials in children are very limited, and do not clearly demonstrate either beneficial or adverse metabolic effects of artificial sweeteners. Presently, there is no strong clinical evidence for causality regarding artificial sweetener use and metabolic health effects, but it is important to examine possible contributions of these common food additives to the global rise in pediatric obesity and diabetes.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy as a tool for determination of food dyes: Comparison with first derivative spectrophotometry

Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) was applied as a method to quantify dyed food samples, and was compared with First Derivative Spectrophotometry (FDS). The dyes Brilliant Blue (B), Sunset Yellow (S) and Tartrazine (T), which are common food additives, were employed for the comparisons. Polyester-type Polyurethane (PU) foam was used for extraction of the dyes from a solution containing the food matrix. For the spectrophotometric determinations, the adsorbed dyes were recovered by using dimethylformamide. The PAS measurements were carried out directly on the PU foam. The PAS method showed greater sensitivity, with detection limits of 0.028 mg L(-1) and 0.086 mg L(-1) for S and T, respectively, in the S+T mixture, and of 0.012 mg L(-1) and 0.068 mg L(-1) for B and T, respectively, in the B+T mixture. The values of relative error obtained for all the dyes were small: approximately 0.3-3.6% for the spectrophotometer, and approximately 0.1-2.9% for the PAS method. The PAS technique can be applied to the determination of the selected dyes in commercial food products, with some advantages: it reduces the number of analysis steps, it is a "green" method with less chemical waste, a minimal sample amount is needed, and it is non-destructive.

Magnesium for treatment-resistant depression: A review and hypothesis

Sixty percent of cases of clinical depression are considered to be treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Magnesium-deficiency causes N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) coupled calcium channels to be biased towards opening, causing neuronal injury and neurological dysfunction, which may appear to humans as major depression. Oral administration of magnesium to animals led to anti-depressant-like effects that were comparable to those of strong anti-depressant drugs. Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) magnesium has been found low in treatment-resistant suicidal depression and in patients that have attempted suicide. Brain magnesium has been found low in TRD using phosphorous nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, an accurate means for measuring brain magnesium. Blood and CSF magnesium do not appear well correlated with major depression. Although the first report of magnesium treatment for agitated depression was published in 1921 showing success in 220 out of 250 cases, and there are modern case reports showing rapid terminating of TRD, only a few modern clinical trials were found. A 2008 randomized clinical trial showed that magnesium was as effective as the tricyclic anti-depressant imipramine in treating depression in diabetics and without any of the side effects of imipramine. Intravenous and oral magnesium in specific protocols have been reported to rapidly terminate TRD safely and without side effects. Magnesium has been largely removed from processed foods, potentially harming the brain. Calcium, glutamate and aspartate are common food additives that may worsen affective disorders. We hypothesize that - when taken together - there is more than sufficient evidence to implicate inadequate dietary magnesium as the main cause of TRD, and that physicians should prescribe magnesium for TRD. Since inadequate brain magnesium appears to reduce serotonin levels, and since anti-depressants have been shown to have the action of raising brain magnesium, we further hypothesize that magnesium treatment will be found beneficial for nearly all depressives, not only TRD.

Common tea formulations modulate in vitro digestive recovery of green tea catechins

Epidemiological evidence suggests a role for tea catechins in reduction of chronic disease risk. However, stability of catechins under digestive conditions is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to characterize the effect of common food additives on digestive recovery of tea catechins. Green tea water extracts were formulated in beverages providing 4.5, 18, 23, and 3.5 mg per 100 mL epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), and epicatechin-gallate (ECG), respectively. Common commercial beverage additives; citric acid (CA), BHT, EDTA, ascorbic acid (AA), milk (bovine, soy, and rice), and citrus juice (orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime) were formulated into finished tea beverages at incremental dosages. Samples were then subjected to in vitro digestion simulating gastric and small intestinal conditions with pre- and post-digestion catechin profiles assessed by HPLC. Catechin stability in green tea was poor with <20% total catechins remaining post-digestion. EGC and EGCG were most sensitive with less, not double equals 10% recovery. Teas formulated with 50% bovine, soy, and rice milk increased total catechin recovery significantly to 52, 55, and 69% respectively. Including 30 mg AA in 250 mL of tea beverage significantly (p<0.05) increased catechin recovery of EGC, EGCG, EC, and ECG to 74, 54, 82, and 45% respectively. Juice preparation resulted in the highest recovery of any formulation for EGC (81-98%), EGCG (56-76%), EC (86-95%), and ECG (30-55%). These data provide evidence that tea consumption practices and formulation factors likely impact catechin digestive recovery and may result in diverse physiological profiles.