Top 10 preservatives you must look out for in common foods!
Credits to the rightful owner of this comic: Mallard Fillmore 2020 Edition
We often feel and assume that preservatives only exist in packaged foods like instant noodles, yogurt packs, sauces and other complex items however it wouldn’t be surprising to see a long list of preservatives on the labels of common foods like cereal, cheese, milk, bread etc…
Ammonium Sulfate: Even though manufacturers claim it’s safe, you can pretty much imagine how these cleansers are “safe” for us:)
Found in bread
Mixed with yeast as it provides yeast with more nitrogen thus keeping it active, thus acts as dough conditioner
Ingestion: Causes irritation to the gastrointestinal tract, and in over-consumption, respiratory inflammation
Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
2. L-Cysteine
Used in bread, ice cream, cookie dough, meat, dairy products, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Function: To prolong shelf-life
Made from duck feathers or human hair, considered natural protein as digested as amino acids
Common side effects may include: drowsiness, chest tightness and shortness of breath
3. Titanium Dioxide
Found in milk, salad dressings, frostings, coffee creamers, mayonnaise
TiO2 is one of the five most carcinogenic substances
Titanium Dioxide nanoparticles can accumulate in the liver and spleen tissues which can pose adverse effects
Even though the potential risks of this additive are not clear, RIVM declares it’s uncertain safety cannot be excluded, especially when it comes to children who are most exposed to candies, sweets and chewing gum.
4. Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Used in cereal and granola bars, mainly foods which are high in fast and oils
Prevents oxidative rancidity of oils
Even though BHT is not listed as a carcinogen, most experiments have shown mutations in lab animals like mice and rats which cause tumors and might even lead to thyroid, liver and lung problems
5. Sodium Benzoate
Used in soft drinks, packaged beverages, fruit preserves and jellies, concentrated orange juice, margarine and fast food burgers
Possesses anti-fungal properties
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rhinitis, bronchospasm, migraine, anaphylaxis, and hyperactivity in children
6. Potassium Bromate
Used in bread products like ready-to-eat pizza bread, egg rolls, bread loaves
“Last year, a non profit agency, the Environmental Working Group found the chemical in 86 breads and other baked goods. The group concluded that this harmful substance should be used with caution and be avoided whenever possible” says NDTV on one of its articles.
Cancerous, anal leakage.Repeated exposure to Potassium Bromate may affect the nervous system causing headache, irritability, impaired thinking and personality changes
7. Acesulfame-K
Artificial sweeteners, 200x sweeter>sugar
Baked goods, chewing gum, gelatin desserts, energy drinks
dental cavities, tooth decay,obesity, and the health complications related to being overweight and obese (for example, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and heart disease). Problems such as osteoporosis and vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also occur when high-sugar foods replace more nutritionally balanced foods.
Can disrupt thyroid levels
Written and Edited by Partth, Aditi, and Zeanne
And here’s a bonus one:
8. Propionate or propionic acid: now while this organic compound exists naturally in the gut and is proved to be beneficial in the intestinal environment by Dr. Gökhan S. Hotamisligil, director of the Sabri Ülker Center for Metabolic Research at Harvard, there are still debates on why exactly does its behaviour change when used as a preservative.
How and where it’s used: bread, animal feed, frosting, pudding, jams and jellies, and cheese, to prevent the growth of mold.
it appears on food labels as ‘calcium propionate’
A study published online April 24 by Science Translational Medicine found out that this preservative can disrupt the metabolism and stimulate an increase in the levels of glucose released into the bloodstream thereby increasing risks of diabetes and obesity.
“What makes these preservatives harmful isn’t their doses by percentage or their chemical composition but the core reason lies in the uncertainty of their long term impacts on human metabolic processes”
