Antioxidant TBHQ

Antioxidants are a group of food preservatives that delay or prevent the deterioration of foods by oxidative mechanisms. This includes tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ). Its molecules act by scavenging freed radicals or oxygen, or by inhibiting enzymes that facilitates oxidation.

TBHQ is regarded as the best antioxidant for protecting frying oils against oxidation. It provides good carry through protection similar to that of BHA and BHT. TBHQ widely used as antioxidants in cosmetics, food lipids and health products.

It is added in animal fats, fish oils, fats and oils used in the manufacture of heat-treated foods and frying fats. TBHQ also used in cereal-based snack foods, chewing gum, dehydrated broths, dehydrated meat, dehydrated potatoes, dehydrated soups, processed nuts, sauce, and seasoning and condiments.

TBHQ is adequately soluble in fats and does not complex with iron or copper, as observed for propyl gallate; therefore, it does not discolor the treated products.
Antioxidant TBHQ

Functions of nitrites as food additive

Nitrites are used as food preservatives and color enhancers, though they are so toxic they have caused deaths and combine with amines to produce carcinogens.

Nitrites and also nitrates are used as food additive, mainly in meat and meat products. Nitrite gives cured meat its characteristic color and flavor but more importantly, nitrites inhibit microbial growth, especially Clostridium botulinum.

Sodium nitrite will actually react with the myoglobin in meat and protect the red color for a long period on time. It is used in all processed meat products, which include: Vienna sausage, smoke-cured fish products, hot dogs, bacon, lunchmeats and canned meats.

It is generally accepted that approximately 40 fg/g nitrite is sufficient to attain and maintain a stable cure color, but considerably more nitrite has been regarded as necessary to inhibit growth of Clostridium botulinum, that amount being dependent on a combination of factors including the salt level, initial pH of the product, temperature of the presence of the chemical.
Functions of nitrites as food additive

Antispoilage agent: sodium benzoate

Sodium benzoate is one of the most commonly used preservatives. Sodium benzoate, the first chemical preservative approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in foods, is characterized by low cost, lack of color, and relatively low toxicity.

Sodium benzoate is a moderately effective bacteriostatic and fungistatic agent at a pH of 5 or less. It is more water soluble than benzoic acid, but anti-microbial activity is dependent on dissociation to the free acid.

Sodium benzoate as an article of commerce is in the form of a white powder or flakes. It can be mixed dry into liquids and dissolves promptly. Solubility in water is 50 gm/100 ml at 25 °C.

Sodium benzoate remain important in the preservation of mayonnaise and mayonnaise-containing delicatessen products, which as oil in water emulsion, are more susceptible to microbial attack.

Fruit pulp of acid fruit products can be protected by additional of 0.1% to 0.3% of sodium benzoate against mold attack and fermentation.

Sodium benzoate can be used in concentrations of up to 0.1% in the United Sates, whereas other countries allow concentrations as high as 0.25%.
Antispoilage agent: sodium benzoate

Sodium chloride as food additive

Common salt or sodium chloride, is not only the most frequently used salt, but is also the most common food additive in food processing. When sufficient salt is added to food, it makes water unavailable to microorganisms.

Sodium chloride decreases the water activity of foods, thus helping to control the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Sodium chloride this used as a preservative in meats and is necessary to make fermented products.

Since microorganisms require water to survive, they cannot exist when their water requirement is diminished by the addition of salt. Amount of water can be reduced availability to microorganisms by lowering the water activity (aw).

Water activity is an excellent stability factor for microbial growth, because the creation of osmotic pressure difference between the hydrated microbial cell and the surrounding food leads to cessation of microbial growth.

Microorganisms require high levels aw.  Most bacteria require a minimum aw level of 0.96, although halophilic bacteria can grow at a aw of 0.75.

Most yeasts grow at aw levels of 0.90 and above, although a few can grow at a aw level of 0.81.  Mold grow at lower aw levels with some able to grow at a aw level of 0.62.  While salt preserves foods mainly by lowering the aw, the chloride ion is believed to inhibit bacterial growth independently.
Sodium chloride as food additive

Food preservation using chemicals

Traditional food preservation techniques have undesirable effects on the appeal of fresh products and artificial preservatives are increasingly being banned. The practice of preserving food by the addition of chemical is quite old, and ordinary table salt (sodium chloride) has been used as a preservative for centuries.

It might be surprising to think of naturally occurring substance as a chemical preservative, but it will be seen that many chemicals substance use in the preservation of foods occur naturally.

When they are used with the proper intend, they can be used to preserve foods that cannot be easily preserved by other means.

They should not be used as a substitute for sanitation and proper handling procedures. Sometimes chemicals are used together with other processes, such as holding at refrigerator temperatures above freezing.

Chemicals preservatives such as sorbate, benzoate, etc, have been used as reliable preservative factors to control a number of micobial hazards, However, such compounds do not satisfy the concept of ‘natural’ and ‘healthy’ food consumers prefer and that the food industry, consequently needs to manufacture.
Food preservation using chemicals

Nitrates and nitrites as food additive

Nitrite is both an oxidizing and reducing substance, is extremely reactive to organic matter, and is labile to heat.  A meat product which contains initially 78 ppm of nitrite may show only 10 to 20 ppm after retorting. Nitrate on the other hand, is stable is subject to reduction to nitride by action of bacteria.

Nitrate and nitrite are used as food additives in processed foods, as preservatives, antimicrobial agents and as a color retention agent.

Addition of nitrite or nitrate improves the microbiological safety of the foods and extends their safe shelf life.

Nitrites and /or nitrates are food additives when combining in curing premixes with spices and/or other flavoring or seasoning ingredients that contain or constitute a source of secondary or tertiary amines, including but not limited to essential oils, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, hydrolysates of animal or plant origin, oleoresin of spices, soy products and spice extractives.

Nitrite gives cured meat its characteristic color and flavor and is important in the control of bacteria, particularly Clostridium botulinum.

It is generally accepted that approximately 40 fg/g nitrite is sufficient to attain and maintain a stable cure color, but considerably more nitrite has been regarded as necessary to inhibit growth of Clostridium botulinum, that amount being dependent on a combination of factors including the salt level, initial pH of the product, temperature of the presence of the chemical.

Although the sue of nitrate and nitrite may improve the microbiological safety of meat, the use of nitrite to cure meat was also seriously questioned in the 1970s due to the potential for the presence of preformed N-nitrosamines, which may have a carcinogenic potential.
Nitrates and nitrites as food additive 

Vegetable oils

Numerous vegetable oils are derived from various sources. These includes the popular oils; the foremost oilseed oils –soybean, cottonseed, peanuts and sunflower oils and others such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil , castor oil, rapeseed soil and others.

Vegetables oils in particular are natural products of plant origin consisting of ester mixtures derived from glycerol with chains of fatty acids containing about 14-20 carbon atoms with different degrees of unsaturation.

Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil is made by reacting vegetable oil with hydrogen. When this occurs, the level of polyunsaturated oils (good fat) is reduced and trans fats are created.

Trans fats can be found in foods such as vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, candies, baked goods, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, salad dressings, and many processed foods.

Vegetable oils are important in human nutrition, providing energy, essential fatty acids and lipophilic vitamins.  About 15% of all vegetable oils are used for the manufacture of various industrial and technical products.

Vegetable oils are associated with heart disease, breast and colon cancer, atherosclerosis and elevated cholesterol.
Vegetable oils 

Antispoilage agent of benzoic acid

The preservative action of benzoic acid was first described in 1875 by H. Fleck, when attempting to find a substitute for the already familiar salicylic acid.

Benzoic acid is lipophilic and thus moves freely across the cell membrane. Uptake of benzoic acid is closely linked with its interference with the membrane function and metabolic activities.

Benzoic acid is used as such and in the form of its sodium salt, sodium benzoate, which has better water solubility.

Because of its lipophilic nature, benzoic acid affects the cellular membrane process, thus changing membrane fluidity.

Benzoic acid most inhibitory at acid pH, benzoic acid particularly is used mainly to inhibit yeast and moods in acidic foods.

Several groups of fungi and bacteria, including Aspergillums niger, species of Rhizopus and Mucor, Pseudomonas putida, and Bacillus species, can metabolize benzoic acid.

Benzoic acid may be used to inhibit mold and bacterial growth in some fruit juices, oleomargarines, jellies, pickles, and catsup. It also be noted that benzoic acid is a natural component of cranberries.
Antispoilage agent of benzoic acid

Food additive of table salt

Salt was mentioned in the Old Testament as a food additive with a ritual character. Its use as a food preservative was well known in Ancient Egypt, Middle East and Ancient Rome.

Table salt is sold in various grain sizes. Coarser or finer varieties afford particular advantages depending on the intended use.

A distinction is drawn between sea salt, rock salt, and evaporated granulated salt according to origin. Table salt or sodium chloride (NaCl) is a common additive to many foodstuffs where it plays many roles such as flavoring agent but also as a preservative agent against microbial attack of food stuffs under storage.

Iodized table salt is salt with added iodide and it may also contain an anti-caking agent to promote a free-flowing property of the crystals. Iodide is added in the form of cuprous iodide or potassium iodide, added to prevent thyroid disease. Table salt is regularly consumed by most Americans and it will provide a regular source of this important mineral.

Too much salt in the diet can lead to high blood pressure and increase risk for heart disease in susceptible individuals.
Food additive of table salt

Tragacanth as food additive

Tragacanth is a dried exudation obtained from stems and branches of the shrub Astragalus gummifier. Tragacanth gets its name from the Greek words ‘tragos’ and ‘akantha’ – provably because the dried plant sap is curved or twisted.

The exudate is allowed to dry on the shrub before collection and is produced in two forms – ribbons and flakes. After collection, the gum is graded and milled to a powder. Tragacanth is used in food as emulsifier, preservative and thickener.

Tragacanth is permitted generally in foodstuffs except those where additives are not permitted.

It is used in baked goods, citrus beverages, condiments, fats, fruit filings, gravies, meat products, oils, relishes, salad dressing, milk powder stabilizers, cheese and sauces.

Tragacanth is a complex branched of polysaccharide consisting of two main fractions. The major fraction is not soluble but swells in water to form a gel.

The second fraction is water soluble and tragacanth contains small amount of protein which may be involved in its emulsifying properties.
Tragacanth as food additive

Food Additives as Preservatives and Appearance Additives

Food Additives as Preservatives and Appearance Additives
Preservatives are added to food substance to slow spoilage and deterioration. Some sources estimate that there are about 100 common preservatives being used by the food industry.

Preservatives are specific to the food being preserved; antioxidants are used in fatty products, for example, while breads often have “mold inhibitors.”

Other common multipurpose preservatives are familiar ingredients such as salt, sugar and vinegar. All of these extend the shelf life of food products and reduce the risk of food related disease.

Some preservation techniques , such as irradiated food, aseptic processing and microwave pasteurization, reduce the need for conventional food additives used to reduce spoilage, but their safety is sometimes debated.

Appearance additives include texturizers, coloring agents and flavorings. These additives enhance the look, mouthfeel or taste of foods without changing other characteristics.

Texturizers are put into food products to maintain a desired texture, and sodium nitrate is used to develop and stabilize the pink color in meats.

Coloring agents are used to increase attractiveness of food to consumers; foods that are frequently colored include candy, soft drinks and diary products such as butter, cheese, and cream.

Flavoring additives are the most common type of additive approved for human consumption. If the roughly 3,000 additives approved, about 2,000 are flavorings used to replace the flavors lost during processing.

Hence, this category of additives used mainly to appeal to user tastes and to enhance purchasing of the target food product.
Food Additives as Preservatives and Appearance Additives

Food Additive: Acidulants

Food Additive: Acidulants
From the root word, acid, in acidulants, one can conclude that this class of compounds tends to lower pH of any food in which the compounds are incorporated. They also enhance desirable flavors, and in many cases, such as in pickled products, are the major taste component. Vinegar (acetic acid) is added to relishes, chili sauce, ketchup and condiments as a flavor component and to aid in the preservation of these products. Since the microbial spoilage of food is inhibited as the pH of a food is lowered, acidulants are used for that purpose in many cases. Many acidulants occur naturally in foods (e.g., citric acid in citrus fruits, malic acid in apples, acetic acid – the major component of vinegar). Tartaric acid is widely used to lend tartness and enhance flavor. Citric acid is widely used in carbonated soft drinks. Phosphoric acid is one of the very few inorganic acids used as an acidulants in foods. Citric acid accounts for 60% of all acidulants used in foods.

In addition to their preservative and flavor enhancing effects, acidulants are used to improve gelling properties and texture. Acidulants are also used as cleaners of dairy equipment.

Acidulants may be used in the manufacturer of processed cheese and cheese spread for the purpose of emulsifications as well as to provide a desirable tartness.

Acid salts may be added to soft drinks to provide a buffering action to prevent excess tartness. In some cases, acid salts are used to inhibit mold growth.
Food Additive: Acidulants