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Food Additive Facts

  1. Americans eat approximately six to nine pounds of chemical food additives per year.
  2. Over one billion pounds of chemical additives are consumed every year. Your liver is in charge of detoxifying this garbage. The liver is the major organ that has the job of breaking down and disposing of all this material. In most cases it requires a number of nutrients to break them down, hopefully they will be available.
  3. The outside leaves of lettuce should be discarded. They may contain additives just to keep it fresh. Some of these may be in the wrapper.
  4. Beta-Carotene (pre-cursor to vitamin A): A natural substance found in all plants and animals. Has a yellowish-orange color and is especially prevalent in carrots and squash. Used as a food coloring agent in foods and cosmetics. Recent studies show that beta-carotene is an effective antioxidant. Best to take instead of vitamin A, has almost no toxicity.
  5. Bromelin: Extracted from pineapple and used in meat tenderizers. A very effective protein-digesting enzyme. If a piece of meat is allowed to set in bromelin for a prolonged period, you will be able to drink your steak.
  6. Citrate Salts: Used in cheese spreads and pasteurized process cheeses. May tend to mask the results of laboratory tests for pancreatic and liver function and blood acid-base balances.
  7. Citrus Red #2: Had been used for coloring Florida Oranges, but in recent years has been discontinued. The dye remained in the peel and did not enter the pulp. However, if the dye is ingested in quantity, it could cause numerous serious visual, circulatory and urinary system problems.
  8. Colorings: The majority of the colorings presently being used are derived from coal tars (carcinogens). As the years go by more and more of these colorings are being further tested and banned.
  9. Gelatin: Derived from boiling skin, muscle and hoofs of animals. Mainly used as a thickener and stabilizer for fruit gelatin. Also helps strengthen fingernails.
  10. Methylene Chloride: A gas used in the decaffeination of coffee. Residues may remain and coffee companies do not have to tell you their method of decaffeination on the label. Only drink decaf if you know the method used by the manufacturer. Water is the best method.
  11. MSG: Monosodium glutamate has no taste of its own but helps to bring out the natural flavors as well as helping foods blend better with one another. MSG has been implicated in enough adverse physical problems that is recommended not to use it. When eating Chinese food always inquire whether MSG has been used in the food. If you find out it has, it is highly recommended you refuse to eat it.
  12. Nitrites: One of the most dangerous additives used in our foods are the nitrites and nitrates. They are found in almost all processed meats, such as luncheon meats. Bacon, sausage, hot dogs, smoked fish and canned meats.
  13. The chemical is used mainly for cosmetic purposes, to stabilize the color of the product. The industry also claims it is needed to retard bacterial growth and also reduce the possibility of botulism. Because of the risks involved with this chemical, the general consensus among scientists is that companies should be researching a new and safer chemical compound instead of taking the easier and less expensive way out.
  14. High levels of nitrites in food have caused cardiovascular collapse in humans and even death from eating hot dogs and blood sausage that were produced by local processors in different areas of the U.S.
  15. The biochemical changes that occur in the food take the following course: Nitrites are broken down into nitrous acid which combines with the hemoglobin of the meat or fish, forming a permanent red color.
  16. In humans, there are two pathways that the ingested nitrites may take that could be harmful: Nitrite is eaten and may react with the hemoglobin of the blood to produce a pigment called meth-hemoglobin which may seriously depress the oxygen carrying capacity of the red blood cell. The possible cancer connection is when nitrites are biochemically altered to a substance called nitrosamine. This reaction usually occurs in the stomach and requires the presence of amines and gastric juices. Amines are usually in adequate supply, since they are a product of protein metabolism, and protein foods often carry the nitrites. The end results are the formation of the nitrosamines, which are classified as carcinogenic (cancer forming agents).
  17. It is necessary to clarify two points:
        1.  Just because you may eat meat containing nitrites does not mean that you will automatically produce nitrosamines.
        2.  If the nitrosamine is produced, your immune system may destroy it as soon as it is produced.
  18. Vitamin C has been found to neutralize the reaction that takes place in the stomach, by interfering with the amine combining with the nitrite. Due to recent studies, relating to these neutralizing effects of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), some manufacturers are adding ascorbic acid to their products.
  19. As a measure of protection it would be wise to chew a vitamin C tablet or drink a small amount of orange juice before consuming foods that contain nitrites.
  20. Sorbitol: Extracted mainly from berries and some fruits. Sorbitol is an alcohol that produces a sweet taste and is used in dietetic products as a replacement for sugar. Also, has numerous other uses as a food binder, thickener, texturing agent, humectant and food stabilizer.
  21. Sulfites: Three types may be used as an anti-browning agent. Sodium potassium and ammonium can be used on any food except meats or a high vitamin B content food. Used on salad bars to prevent fruits and lettuce from browning. Also used to enhance their crispness. Physiologic reaction to sulfites are numerous with the most common taking the form of acute asthmatic attack. Recommended to avoid any food that has been treated with sulfites.
  22. Sulphur Dioxide: A chemical formed from the burning of sulphur. A food bleach, preservative, anti-oxidant and anti-browning agent. Its most common visibility is in golden raisins. Tends to destroy vitamin A and should not be used on meats or high vitamin A content vegetables.

See also: Food Additive Types

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