Food additives are not unique to the modern age. Keeping food in good condition has been a concern for humans since ancient times. Salting and smoking are preservation techniques that date back thousands of years. The Egyptians also used colorings and flavorings to enhance certain foods, and the Romans used brine, spices, and colorings in their preserves and preparations.
Thus, according to the definition provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), food additives are "substances added to food to maintain or improve its safety, freshness, flavor, texture, or appearance." For example , antioxidants are added to prevent or delay food spoilage due to oxidation. This deterioration not only affects the appearance of food, but also its nutritional properties, which are lost through the evaporation of vitamins A and C. In addition, it often produces an unpleasant taste, a "rancidity" (a consequence of the deterioration of fats), as well as elements that are harmful to health.
But how does this oxidation occur? Before we can detect with the naked eye that food is oxidizing, there is a so-called latency period, during which the fats contained in food absorb ultraviolet rays from light or simply heat, forming free radicals from fatty acids. These free radicals accelerate the oxidation process, leading to the propagation period. The process continues as long as there are fats that can oxidize, producing substances that generate the rancid smell characteristic of oxidized food. This is the termination process.
In addition, there are a number of substances that accelerate or facilitate the oxidation process. These are pro-oxidant factors, such as:
To prevent oxidation, on the one hand, all these pro-oxidant factors can be reduced or eliminated, or substances can be added to foods to slow down or prevent this process. These are antioxidant additives themselves. The food industry uses both techniques, i.e., in addition to hydrogenation and fat saturation, vacuum packaging and light-impermeable packaging, eliminating metal residues from the machinery used, and storing products in cold rooms, it also uses antioxidants authorized by health authorities.
These additives must be harmless to health and maintain the characteristics of the food in terms of taste, smell, color, etc. In this regard, their stability is essential, depending on the pH of the product to which they are added, so that they do not undergo chemical reactions that prevent them from functioning. Also, remember that antioxidants do not last forever. Once they become saturated, they no longer capture free radicals and cease to be effective, allowing the oxidation process to continue.
Citric acid (of bacterial origin and found in soups, ice cream, and frozen fish and seafood), ascorbic acid (very common in fruit drinks, jams, and dehydrated potato products), lactic acid (present in baby food, carbonated drinks, and light margarines), lecithin (which comes from soybeans, corn, or peanuts and can be found on the label of cream desserts, liquid yogurts, powdered milk, or margarine), and tocopherols(found in prepared desserts or vegetable oils) are examples of antioxidant additives.
Additives can be natural or synthetic, and not all of them are suitable for all types of food. For example, some cannot be used in food processing involving high temperatures, such as in the production of baked goods. Furthermore, although the list of authorized antioxidant additives is extensive, some additives are under suspicion.
Below are examples of additives whose adverse effects have been reported—and which remain authorized as long as they are considered harmless by health authorities.
• E 302: May cause kidney stones in people who are prone to them.
• E 310: According to a study published in 1981, it may be carcinogenic.
• E 311: According to a study published in 1981, it may be carcinogenic.
• E 312: According to a study published in 1981, it may be carcinogenic.
• E 320 and E 321: Allergens. They accumulate in the body. They can cause liver cancer. They damage the kidneys. Potentially carcinogenic. According to the WHO, E 321 can cause growth retardation and reproductive problems. Banned in Japan and other countries.
• E 330, E 331, E 332, E 333, and E 380: May cause edema and hives. May erode teeth and cause ulcers in the oral mucosa. E 330 appears to be carcinogenic.
• E 338, E 339, E 340, and E 341: In high quantities, they can cause osteoporosis in children. They cause kidney disorders and stones. They can cause concentration disorders. E 338 appears to be carcinogenic.
• E 385: Powerful metal sequestrant. May have carcinogenic effects.
The most common ones today are chemically synthesized, imitating the composition of the original substance. However, there are also natural and artificial (totally synthetic) ones. They are normally safe and do not have any negative effects on health, unless you are allergic to any of them or take doses above the recommended levels. However, biological medicine disagrees with the total safety claimed for these substances. In this regard, the head of Biosalud, Dr. Mariano Bueno, referring to various published studies, refers to the possible effects of some of them. He points out that calcium ascorbate (E-302) can cause kidney stones in people who are prone to them, and that propyl gallate (E-310), octyl gallate (E-311), and dodecyl gallate (E-312) could be carcinogenic.
Other antioxidants with possible side effects are butylated hydroxyanisole (E-320) and butylated hydroxytoluene (E-321), as they are allergens and accumulate in the body. They damage the kidneys and are potentially carcinogenic. In fact, according to the WHO, E-321 can cause growth delays and reproductive problems. Citric acid (E-330), sodium citrate (E-331), potassium citrate (E-332), and calcium citrate (E-333) can cause enemas and hives, as well as erode teeth and cause ulcers in the oral mucosa.
For all these reasons, and given the doubts, Biosalud recommends avoiding these antioxidants as much as possible. The easiest way to do this is to check the labels before buying or consuming certain foods or beverages.
