BodyTune Health
Unlocking Human Potential
Food Preservatives
All food items that you don’t grow or produce yourself have preservatives. Preservatives limit,
retard or arrest the growth of microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, fungi, mould, present in or
that may enter into food. Food is preserved for three basic reasons:

To preserve the natural characteristics of food

To preserve the appearance of food

To increase the shelf value of food for storage
Traditional preservation methods include boiling, freezing, refrigeration, pasteurizing,
dehydrating, pickling and smoking. Nuclear radiation is now being used as a food preservative.
Modified packaging techniques like vacuum packing and hypobaric packing also work as food
preservatives.
Natural food preservatives: sugar, salt, alcohol and vinegar.
Common chemical food preservatives:
Chemical
Used in
Side effects
200-203 Sorbic acid,
Processed fruit, vegetables, cordial,
Possible skin irritant, may cause rashes, asthma
all sorbates (e.g.
wine, cheeses, cakes, salad
and hyperactivity.
sodium sorbate)
dressing, dessert sauces, fillings,
soups, butter, yoghurt
210-213 Benzoic
Meat, pickles, flour, margarine, fruit
Can trigger allergies, skin rashes and may cause
acid, all benzoates
purees, fruit juices, soft drinks,
brain damage. Can cause asthma, especially in
(e.g. sodium
cordials, beer, tea, coffee, ketchup,
those dependant on steroid asthma medications.
benzoate)
salad dressing, cheese, chewing
Also reputed to cause neurological disorders and
gum, sugar substitutes, lollies, maple
to react with sulphur bisulphite (222). Shown to
syrup
provoke hyperactivity in children.
220-228 Sulphur
Dried fruits, wine, juice, wine
Headaches, heart palpitations, allergies, can
dioxide, all sulphites,
vinegar, canned olives and peppers,
trigger asthma, may cause cancer. Known to
bisulphites,
corn syrup, cornstarch, cordial
provoke gastric irritation, nausea, diarrhoea.
metabisulphites
Destroys thiamin (Vitamin B1).
249-252 All nitrites
Processed/cured meats like ham,
(e.g. sodium nitrite)
devon, salami
May cause stomach cancer.
and nitrates
280-283 Propionic
Bread, crumpets, hamburger buns,
acid and all
whey powder in bakery products,
propionates
cakes, cheese
Thought to be linked with migraine headaches.
In addition to these there are many other harmful food preservatives. These include: caffeine,
carrageenan, chlorines, coal tar AZO dies, glutamates, saccharin, sodium erythrobate and
tannin.
NOTE: Food chemicals can pass through breastmilk and affect babies.
Other food preservatives:
Chemical
Used in
Side effects
BHA (butylated
Fresh pork and pork sausages, potato
May cause liver disease. Have caused
hydroxyanisole) and BHT
chips, instant teas, cake mixes,
cancer in rats but some studies suggest
(butylated hydrozyttoluene)
cereals, chewing gum, beer
may protect against cancer
development.
Bromates
White flour and bread
Destroy nutrients and can cause
diarrhoea.
Mono-glceryides and Di-
Cookies, cakes, pies, bread, peanut
glceryides
butter, dry roasted nuts, vegetables
May cause birth defects and cancer.
packaged with sauce, shortening, and
margarine
Propyl gallate
Meat products, vegetables packaged
May cause birth defects and liver
with sauce, pickles, vegetable
damage.
shortening and oils, chewing gum,
Propylene glycol and
Ice cream
Propylene glycol is the same substance
Carboxymethylcellulose
Carboxymethylcellulose is also used in
that is used in antifreeze and paint
salad dressing, cheese spreads and
remover and therefore it can clearly be
chocolate milk
seen as harmful food preservative.
Carboxymethylcellulose produced
tumors in 80% of rats injected with it.
Brominated oils
Bottled fruit juice
Changes in heart tissue, enlargement of
the thyroid, kidney damage, decrease in
liver function, withered testicles.
Citric Acid that is artificially
Ice cream and sherbet, fruit juice
produced using sulfuric acid
drinks, canned and jarred products,
(naturally occurring citric
jelly, cheese, candy, carbonated
acid is safe)
beverages, instant potatoes, wheat,
chips, potato sticks, wine
Sources:
http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/
http://www.foodadditivesworld.com/
http://www.mbm.net.au/health/200-290.htm
Asthmatic attacks and allergic reactions