Today is the last post of the Halloween edition of scary food additives to avoid. In case your week has been crazy-busy like mine, you can get caught up on Part I and Part II here:
Scary: Food Additives Part II -> 7 Scary Food Additives to Avoid
5+ (more) Scary Food Additives to Avoid
Artificial Food Colorings
Artificial Food Colorings include the likes of: Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, etc. They are any dye, pigment or substance that imparts color when it is added to food or drink.
Food it is commonly found in: candy, sausage, baked goods, soda pop, gelatin desserts and many other beverages in general.
Of interest: Food coloring has been linked to everything from ADHD to tumors, cancer, gastric discomfort and more.
Caramel Coloring
Caramel Coloring is made from carmelized sugar, usually with ammonium compounds, acids, or alkalis.
Food it is commonly found in: Colas, baked goods, pre-cooked meats, soy and Worcestershire sauces, chocolate-flavored products, beer.
Of interest: Caramel is produced from commercially available nutritive sweeteners consisting of fructose, dextrose (glucose), invert sugar, sucrose, malt syrup, molasses, starch hydrolysates and fractions thereof. The acids that may be used are sulfuric, sulfurous,phosphoric, acetic, and citric acids; the alkalies are ammonium, sodium, potassium, and calcium hydroxides; and the salts are ammonium, sodium, and potassium carbonate,bicarbonate, phosphate (including mono- and dibasic), sulfate, and bisulfite. Antifoaming agents, such as polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, may be used as processing aids during manufacture.[2] Its color ranges from pale-yellow to amber to dark-brown. {Also make note: Caramel Color may or may not contain gluten. It’s one of the very tricky ingredients you need to be extra-cautious of.}
Acesulfame Potassium
Acesulfame potassium (ay-see-SUHL-faym) is a calorie-free sugar substitute (artificial sweetener), also known as Acesulfame K or Ace K (K being the symbol for potassium), and marketed under the trade names Sunett and Sweet One.
Food it is commonly found in: baked goods, chewing gum, gelatin desserts, diet soda.
Of interest: Acesulfame potassium is 200 times sweeter than sugar. It has been associated with cancer and thryroid problem.
Annatto
Annatto’s seeds are sourced to produce a carotenoid-based yellow to orange food coloring and flavor.
Food it is commonly found in: butter, cheese and other non-dairy foods such as rice, custard powder, baked goods, seasonings, processed potatoes, snack foods, breakfast cereals and smoked fish.
Of interest: Annatto causes hives in some people. In fact, allergic reactions to annatto appear to be more common than reactions to commonly used synthetic food dyes.
Benzoic Acid
Benzoic Acid is a colorless crystalline solid and a simple aromatic carboxylic acid. Its salts are used as a food preservative and benzoic acid is an important precursor for the synthesis of many other organic substances.
Food it is commonly found in: fruit juice, carbonated drinks, pickles.
Of interest: Benzoic Acid (also called Sodium Benzoate) can cause hives, asthma, or other allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Another problem occurs when sodium benzoate is used in beverages that also contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The two substances, in an acidic solution, can react together to form small amounts of benzene, a chemical that causes leukemia and other cancers.
Carrageenans: Debatable
Carrageenans are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red seaweeds. They are a thickening, gelling and stabilizing agent.
Food it is commonly found in: ice cream, jelly, chocolate milk, infant formula, cottage cheese.
Of interest: Carrageenans are very debatable. If you have irritable bowel syndrome or irritable bowel disease, though, I would strongly recommend avoiding them. The reason is two-fold:
- Carrageenan is an indigestible family of large molecules obtained from seaweed. Large amounts of carrageenan have harmed test animals’ colons (Note: the seaweed family is hard for many people with digestive disorders in general.)
- Carrageenan has been shown to exacerbate intestinal inflammation in several studies. People with gut problems like IBS and IBD may want to avoid this product.
And there you have it.
What are your thoughts?
Food additives: scary or no concern?
Want more? Bookmark the Chemical Cuisine of Food Additives like I have.
Love your guts,
SKH