c. Sulfites can cause asthmatic reaction.
d. Sweeteners can cause obesity, dental cavity, diabetes, and increase blood fat. Artificial sweetener can cause hyperactivity and some of them are found carcinogen. Government cautions children and pregnant women against the use of it.
e. Artificial flavor and monosodium glutamate can cause allergic reactions.
f. BHT can be toxic to nervous system.
g. Salt can increase the blood pressure [23].
Table 2.7 shows some specific additives and their health effect.
Table 2.7 List of additives and preservatives that can affect human health [24].
| Additive | Role of the additive | Food material where it is added | Possible health hazard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erythrosin | Food color | Canned food, confectionary, and dairy products | Possible risk of thyroid tumor in animal study |
| Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 | Food color | Different candy and confectionary product | Allergic reaction to some people. |
| Tartrazine | Food color | Ice cream, carbonated drinks | Skin rashes, asthma, and headache |
| Carmosine | Food color | Dairy products | Cause tumor to animals and DNA damage |
| Amaranth | Food color | Alcoholic beverages | Can cause asthma and allergies |
| Indigo Carmine | Food color | Bakery, confectionery, and dairy products | Can cause skin rashes, DNA damage and tumor to animals |
| Brilliant Blue | Food color | Dairy products and sweets | Can cause skin rashes, DNA damage and tumor to animals |
| Sodium benzoate | Preservative | Carbonated beverages, sauce, pickles | Can cause asthma and probable carcinogen |
| Sulfur dioxide | Preservative | Dried food juice | Nausea, diarrhoea, DNA damage to animals |
| Sodium metabisulfite | Antioxidant | Processed food | Can cause asthma |
| Potassium nitrate | Curing agent | Cured meat and meat products | Can form nitrosamine that is carcinogenic agent |
| BHA/BHT | Antioxidant | Fats/oils | Considered as carcinogenic agent |
| Monosodium glutamate | Flavor enhancer | Processed food | Can cause cancer, DNA damage |
| Aspartame | Sweetener | Processed food | Can cause neurological damage |
| Acesulfame K | Sweetener | Processed food | Can cause cancer to animals |
| Saccharine | Sweetener | Processed food | Can interfere DNA coagulation process |
| Bromate | Preservative | Processed food | Destroy nutrients in food |
| Caffeine | Flavorant | Processed food | Can cause heart defects |
| Chelating agent | Sequestering agent | Processed food | They affect mineral balance in our body |
| Auramine | Food color | Used in beverages | Retard growth and damage kidney, liver |
| Metanil yellow | Food color | Used in sweets | Responsible for weakness and food poisoning |
| Lead chromate | Food color | Added to turmeric for bright color | Anemia, abdominal pain |
Exposure to hazardous chemicals through food can create adverse health effects that depends on various factors like the following
a. Type of chemical
b. Dose of chemical
c. Duration of exposure
d. Frequency of exposure [25]
The safety of food additives is generally evaluated by international organization as well as local government. The goals for the assessment of the intake of food additive are as follows:
a. Monitoring the actual intake of food additives with respect to its acceptable daily intake (ADI).
b. Identify the consumer group who are at risk for the intake of additives close or more than the ADI value.
c. To offer information to the international organization for the reassessment of the regulations of food additives in case of high intake.
The safety assessment of the additives is based on the toxicity of the additives. On the basis of these toxicological data, food additives are classified as follows:
Group A: Additives having established ADI value
Group B: Additives generally considered as safe.
Group C: Additives with insufficient data.
Group D: Flavoring components.
Group E: Natural components with very few or no scientific safety data.