Nutrition News & Views

August 3, 1999
A Shakespearean Decision in the Surpermarket (Part III)-August 1999/No.3

To buy or not to buy a certain product. That is the question. Some consumers are concerned about preservatives and additives used in processed food. Additives have been used since antiquity either to improve food preparation or to preserve food. Salt was used to cure meat in 3,000 B.C., and bread leavened by yeast or chemicals has been popular for millennia.

The U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act defines a food additive as any substance that becomes a component of food or affects the characteristics of a food. By legal definition, sugar and spices, as well as leavening agents are food additives. More than 75 percent of food additives are used to impart flavor. Additives can serve several functions:

  • Improve or maintain nutritional quality. Nutrients can either be lacking or lost during processing. Vitamin A, a fat-soluble nutrient, is added back to reduced-fat milk, and grains are enriched with vitamins and minerals lost during milling, or fortified to improve public health.
  • Improve quality and reduce waste. Calcium propionate is added to bread to retard molding, and nitrite is added to cured meat to prevent botulism. Cucumbers are preserved when they are converted into pickles with addition of salt and vinegar. Cabbage is available year round as sauerkraut by preserving it in salt and through natural fermentation.
  • Maintain food quality and consistency. The addition of emulsifiers and stabilizers prevent oil separation in salad dressing and peanut butter. The use of phosphate additives in instant oatmeal or instant pudding facilitates fast and convenient preparation.
  • Make food more appealing. Use of food colors enhances the appearance of certain foods and meets consumer expectations, especially for holiday or fun foods.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to prove that an additive is safe for its intended use in food. Commonly used household ingredients like salt, sugar and spices and other food ingredients like caffeine and MSG are classified as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and are exempt from this requirement as are items used prior to 1958. The FDA monitors all prior sanctioned and GRAS ingredients in response to new scientific information and evidence on safety.

The decision to buy or not to buy certain products should be based upon personal preference and lifestyle, but not fear of safety concerns. Prepared food combines good nutrition with convenience to meet the needs of all consumers.

Source: Food Insight, International Food Information Council Foundation, May/June 1999

Submitted by Catherine Green, MSU Dietetic Intern
Distributed by Barbara McLaurin, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., Human Nutrition Specialist, MSU Extension Service, August 1999

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