Additives
Definition

A substance added to a food to cause a
desired positive change in the characteristic
of a food.
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Added to food at any point during
processing/production.
USDA and FDA both regulate the use of additives.
Two classifications of additives
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Intentional
Incidental
B-4.01 -- Additives
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Classification of Additives
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Intentional
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Added on purpose
Gives foods specific characteristics or prevents
spoilage.
Examples – Vitamin D in milk, acetic acid in dressing
Incidental
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Get into foods unintentionally
Enter anytime during processing/production
Examples -- wax in milk from wax-coated carton
B-4.01 Additives
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Functions of Food Additives
Two Functions
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Additives legally allowed when benefits
outweigh risks.
Two functions of intentional additives are:
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Maintain/improve nutritional quality.
Facilitate production, processing, or
preparation.
Approximately 3,000 intentional food
additives in 12 major groups.
B-4.01 – Functions of Food Additives
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Twelve Major Groups
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Preservatives
Antioxidants
Sequestrants
Surface Active Agents
Stabilizers and
Thickeners
Bleaching and
Maturing Agents,
Starch Modifiers
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Buffers, Acids,
Alkalies
Food Colors
Food Substitutes
Nutritional
Additives
Flavoring Agents
Miscellaneous
Additives
B-4.01 – Functions of Food Additives
Preservatives
 Prevent or slow spoilage
 Maintain natural flavors and colors
 Examples:
 Sodium benzoate – soft drinks and acidic foods
 Calcium propionate – breads and cakes
 Sorbic acid – moist dog foods
B-4.01 – Functions of Food Additives
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Antioxidants
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Prevents oxidation of lipids.
Without antioxidants, shelf life of fatcontaining foods would be short.
Examples:
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Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) – chips
Sulfur dioxide – processed fruits and
vegetables.
B-4.01 – Functions of Food Additives
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Sequestrants
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Chelating agents to scavenge metal
ions.
Combine with iron and copper, which
are catalysts of oxidation and
contribution to off-color.
Examples:
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Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)
Citric acid -- fruits
B-4.01 – Functions of Food Additives
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Surface Active Agents
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Emulsifiers used to stabilize oil-in water and
water-in-oil mixtures, gas-in-liquid mixtures,
and gas-in-solid mixtures.
Examples:
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Lecithin
Monoglycerides and diglycerides
B-4.01 – Functions of Food Additives
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Stabilizers and Thickeners
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Stabilize and thicken food by combining with
water to increase viscosity and to form gels.
Used in gravies, pie fillings, cake toppings,
chocolate milk, salad dressings.
Examples:
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Gum arabic
Carrageenan
Pectin
B-4.01 – Functions of Food Additives
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Bleaching and Maturing
Agents, Starch Modifiers
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Bleaching and maturing agents improve
color of flours:
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Examples -- chlorine dioxide and chlorine
compounds
Starch modifiers oxidize starch so is
more water soluble.
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Examples – sodium hypochlorite
B-4.01 -- Functions of Food Additives
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Buffers, Acids, and Alkalies
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These additives adjust pH and control pH.
Derived from natural sources or chemically
synthesized.
Examples include:
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Citric, tartaric, malic, and fumaric acid – fruitflavored drinks.
Phosphoric acid – colas, root beer, and other nonfruit drinks
B-4.01 Functions of Food Additives
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Food Colors
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Produce appetizing and attractive qualities.
Artificial and naturally-occurring colors used.
Artificial colors
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Tested and certified by U.S. FDA
Generally excel in color power, uniformity, stability
and lower cost
Labeled as artificial
Naturally-occurring colors
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Annatto, caramel, carotene, and saffron
B-4.01 – Functions of Food Additives
Food Substitutes
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Also known as fat, sugar, and salt
substitutes.
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Sugar – nutritive and non-nutritive
Fat – starch-based, protein-based, and
manufactured.
Salt – potassium chloride
B-4.01 -- Functions of Food Additives
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Nutritional Additives
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Added as supplements and enrichment
mixtures
Examples:
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Vitamin D -- milk
B vitamins and iron -- cereal products
Iodine -- salt
Vitamin A – margarine
Vitamin C – fruit juices and fruit-flavored desserts
B-4.01 -- Functions of Food Additives
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Flavoring Agents
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Natural and synthetic flavors are added.
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Over 1200 flavoring materials used
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Natural – spices, herbs, essentials oils, and plant
extracts
Synthetic – benzaldehyde, ethyl butyrate, MSG
largest single group of food additives.
Used in trace amounts.
Also includes flavor enhancers and potentiators.
B-4.01 -- Functions of Food Additives
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Miscellaneous Additives
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Promote growth of bakers’ yeast – ammonium
sulfate
Firming agents – calcium chloride
Anticaking agents – calcium phosphate
Clarifying agents for wine – bentonite
Solvents – ethanol, acetone, and hexane
Curing meat – sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate
Crystallization inhibitors -- oxystearin
B-4.01 -- Functions of Food Additives
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Food Substitutes
Food Substitutes
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Also known as food analogs.
Natural or synthethized substances.
Typically designed to reduce caloric content
while mimicking functional properties, such as:
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flavor
mouthfeel
texture
appearance
B-4.01 -- Food Substitutes
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Types of Food Substitutes
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Sugar Substitutes
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Fat Substitutes
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nutritive
non-nutritive
starch-based
protein-based, and
manufactured.
Salt Substitutes
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potassium chloride
B-4.01 -- Food Substitutes
Sugar Substitutes
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Non-nutritive
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Saccharin (Sweet & Low)
Aspartame (NutraSweet)
Acesulfame potassium
Stevioside (Stevia)
Sucralose (Splenda)
Nutritive
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Sweet alcohols
B-4.01 -- Food Substitutes
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Fat Substitutes
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Starch-based fat substitutes
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Vegetable gums
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Dextrin
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Maltodextrin
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Polydextrose
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Pectin
Protein-based -- Simplesse®
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Egg white and whey
Synthetic -- Olestra
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Sucrose polymer
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Fatty Acids + Sucrose
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No enzyme to digest it
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Acts like a fatty acid
B-4.01 -- Food Substitutes
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Salt Substitutes
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Potassium chloride
B-4.01 -- Food Substitutes
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Government Agencies
Two Key Government Agencies
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA)
Other regulatory agencies also oversee
the food supply.
B-4.02 -- Government Agencies
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
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FDA is a branch of the Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS).
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Regulates all foods except red meat, poultry, eggs
Role:
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Define truth in labeling requirements.
Supervise the use of additives in the food supply.
Set guidelines for use of additives by
manufacturers.
Monitor proper use of additives in products they
inspect.
B-4.02 -- Government Agencies
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U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Inspect and grade red
meat, poultry, eggs
Ensures meat and
poultry supply is safe to
eat, wholesome,
properly labeled and
packaged
Monitor proper use of food
additives in products that
they inspect.
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B-4.02 – Government Agencies
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Food Additive Approval
Additive Guidelines
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Food Additive Amendment
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No additive can be used in foods unless the FDA
verifies it is safe.
Based on extensive testing and research.
Manufacturers who make additives are
required to provide proof of safety.
Six step approval process.
B-4.02 – Food Additive Approval
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Six Step Approval Process
1. Test its effectiveness.
2. Measure the amount present in the final
product.
3. Feed it in large doses to animals under
controlled conditions to prove its safety.
4. Present all test results to the FDA for review.
5. Complete a public hearing.
6. Follow FDA’s written regulations stating
permitted food usage.
B-4.02 -- Food Additive Approval
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Other Concerns
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Safety is not the only concern. To be
approved, a food additive must:
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Perform an intended and useful function.
Not deceive the consumer or conceal faulty
ingredients or defects in manufacturing practices.
Not substantially reduce the food’s nutritional value.
Not be used in place of good manufacturing
practices.
Include a method for analyzing the presence of the
additive in food.
B-4.02 – Food Additive Approval
GRAS List and Delaney Clause
GRAS List
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Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) List
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1958
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1969
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Food additives that have a long history of common usage
in food with no known negative health effects.
Over 600 additives on list -- eventually had to be tested
GRAS substances are re-examined
Potentially hazardous items were removed from list
After being re-examined, the GRAS List was
divided into five classifications.
B-4.02 -- GRAS List and Delaney Clause
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GRAS List Classifications
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Class 1
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Class 2
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Ingredients safe at present and anticipated levels
of use.
Ingredients safe at current usages, however, need
more study to see if higher level usage could be
hazardous
Class 3
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Ingredients that have restricted use.
Further research needed.
B-4.02 -- GRAS List and Delaney Clause
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GRAS List Classifications
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Class 4
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Ingredients that the FDA needs to establish
stricter guidelines.
Class 5
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Ingredients recommended to be removed
from the GRAS List.
B-4.02 -- GRAS List and Delaney Clause
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The Delaney Clause
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Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
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set of laws giving authority to the FDA to oversee the
safety of food, drugs, and cosmetics.
Delaney Clause, which is in the Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act, states:
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No additive may be permitted in food if the additive
at any level can produce cancer when fed to man or
animals or can be shown to be carcinogenic by any
other appropriate test.
B-4.02 -- GRAS List and Delaney Clause
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Delaney Clause Controversy
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Problem
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Some harmless and common substances possibly
induce cancer in one animal or another under
special conditions that have little to do with normal
food consumption
Examples – saccharin, pepper, charred meat
Possible modification

Modify definition of “safe” in regard to foods and
use informed scientific judgments to make
regulatory decisions.
B-4.02 -- GRAS List and Delaney Clause