E - food additives

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 16:23

Today, the modern world food market is characterized by a very wide range of choices, both in assortment and in price categories. This food variety is dictated, first of all, by the growing demand from the consumer. But does the supply justify this demand, and is freedom of choice really as absolute as it appears?

The choice of one type of food or another is determined today by several factors:

• consumer lifestyle;
• his solvency;
• health conditions and associated dietary restrictions.

I would like to focus on the last point. Problems associated with human health these days are far from always characterized by genetic inheritance or predisposition to one or another type of disease, as well as the influence of environmental factors on the body.

Recently, it is the food products that are part of the daily diet of consumption, and to be more precise, their composition, which, in turn, abounds with a whole list of all kinds of so-called "improvers" - food additives common among which are ingredients with an E index.

Is it safe to consume such foods?

E-standards

The letter "E" on the label of the composition of a food product indicates compliance with the European food standard, and the digital index - the type of additive itself. Once, the names of these chemicals were indicated in the composition of the products in full, but due to the volume of the names, they were replaced by an alphanumeric code.

Today, not only on the territory of the Russian Federation, but also in Europe, the use of E-additives in food production is prohibited. But only a few.

Enjoy the right to prohibit European Commission, and checks on the spot, that is, on the territory of food enterprises and stores, are carried out by the so-called food and veterinary inspection and even then - not everywhere.

How does this system work?

E-supplements are tested on animals and humans in accredited European laboratories. Taking into account the absence of negative consequences and effects on the body, additives are included in the list of permitted ones. Otherwise, if the inspectors of the food and veterinary services find during the inspection of food products that contain prohibited E-components, seizure is carried out. The frequency of this kind of checks is once every six months. That is, in the intermediate six months, in the absence of data on the dangers of a particular additive based on research, people do not know what they eat.

The irony of this “nutritious scenario” doesn't end there. Are prohibited E-components in the presence of a threat to life, for example, those that lead to lethal outcome … A large mass of others remains in the shadows, either little studied or not characterized as "dangerous". That is, if preservatives worldwide not considered fatal for human consumption, they may be considered non-hazardous. And this is not the only example that raises doubts, to say the least. Here are some examples of similar E-elements added to today's food products:

E102 - tartrazine - a dye. It is allowed on the territory of our country, but prohibited on the territory of the European Union.

Effects on the body: - food allergy. Foodstuffs containing tartrazine: confectionery, sweets, ice cream, drinks.

E128 - red dye Red 2G with a carcinogenic effect, used in the production of sausages with a grain and legume content of more than 6% and minced meat products, and gives a pink color to the product. Is an genotoxic compound, that is, having the ability to cause changes in genes.

E128 is prohibited for use in Russia! Effects on the body (long-term period of manifestation of the reaction after the moment of use): - oncological diseases; - fetal malformations; - congenital pathologies. Products containing red dye Red 2G: sausages and sausages (especially cheap ones).

E216 and E217 - preservatives (propyl ether and sodium salt). Banned in Russia!

Effects on the body: - food poisoning. Foods containing this type of preservative: sweets, filled chocolates, meats, jelly-coated pates, soups and broths.

E250 - sodium nitrite - a dye, seasoning and preservative used for dry preservation of meat and stabilization of its red color. E250 is approved for use in Russia, but banned in the EU.

Effects on the body: - increased excitability of the nervous system in children; - oxygen starvation of the body (hypoxia); - a decrease in the content of vitamins in the body; - food poisoning with a possible fatal outcome; - oncological diseases. Foods containing sodium nitrite: bacon (especially fried), corned beef, sausages, ham, smoked meats and fish.

E320 - an antioxidant to slow down the oxidative process in fat and oil mixtures (allowed in Russia, but considered hazardous to health).

Effects on the body: - an increase in the content of cholesterol in the body. Foods containing the antioxidant E320: some foods with fat content; chewing gum.

E400-499 - thickeners, stabilizers to increase the viscosity of the product (most of them are prohibited in the Russian Federation).

Effects on the body: - diseases of the digestive tract. Foods containing these types of E-supplements: yoghurt cultures and mayonnaise.

E510, E513 and E527 (from the E500-599 group) - emulsifiers that create uniformity when combining immiscible products, for example, water and oil.

Effects on the body: - diarrhea; - failures in the liver.

E951 - aspartame is a synthetic sweetener.

Effects on the body: - depletion of serotonin reserves in the cerebral cortex; - the development of manic depression, anxiety attacks, violence (with excessive use). Products containing aspartame: chewing gum, carbonated drinks (especially imported).

Prohibited E-Supplements

At the moment, it is possible to give only an approximate list of E-supplements that are prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation based on decisions based on research by the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences:

• E121 - citrus red dye;
• E123 - red amaranth dye;
• E240 - formaldehyde preservative, classifying which can be attributed to the same group of substances as arsenic with hydrocyanic acid - deadly poisons;
• E116-117 - preservatives that are actively used in the production of confectionery and meat products;
• E924a and E924b are the so-called “flour and bread improvers”.

And also such additives are prohibited: E103, E107, E125, E127, E128, E213-219, E140, E153-155, E166, E173-175, E180, E182, E209, E213-219, E225-228, E230-233, E237, E238, E240, E241, E252, E253, E264, E281–283, E302, E303, E305, E308–314, E317, E318, E323–325, E328, E329, E343–345, E349, E350–352, E355–357, E359, E365–368, E370, E375, E381, E384, E387–390, E399, E403, E408, E409, E418, E419, E429–436, E441–444, E446, E462, E463, E465, E467, E474, E476-480, E482-489, E491-496, E505, E512, E519-523, E535, E537, E538, E541, E542, E550, E552, E554-557, E559, E560, E574, E576, E577, E579, E580, E622–625, E628, E629, E632–635, E640, E641, E906, E908–911, E913, E916–919, E922–926, E929, E942–946, E957, E959, E1000, E1001, E1105, E1503, E1521.

And this is not the whole list. Besides, where is the guarantee that E-elements prohibited for production are not used?

E-supplements, legal in Russia, but considered dangerous

Nutritional supplements

• E105, E126, E130, E131, E143, E152, E210, E211, E330, E447 - are factors that cause the growth of malignant tumors.
• E221-226, E320-322, E338-341, E407, E450, E461, E466 - provoking the formation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• E239 - May cause an allergic reaction.
• E171, E320-322 - additives that cause liver and kidney disease.

In addition, the following additives are prohibited in the European Union, but are still allowed in Russia: E102, E104, E110, E111, E120, E122, E124, E126, E141, E142, E150, E212, E250, E251, E311-313, E477.

Analysis of the food market

Analysis of the state of the modern food market for the content of food E-components that are dangerous to human health and life has shown that most of the offered assortment contains, to a greater or lesser extent, the above substances. As an example, we can cite a list of brands on the modern food market, among which E-elements have been found that pose a danger to human life:

1. Among carbonated drinks:

- "Fruittime Duchess", as well as "Fiesta Duchess", derived from the Coca-Cola company (contain E951 aspartame); - all other subsidiaries of the Coca-Cola manufacturer; - "Lemonade" (Greatley); - "Raspberry" (Salute-Cola); - "Barberry" (Assorted); - "Citro" (Salute-Cola), etc.

2. Among chewing gums, especially popular these days:

- "Dirol" (contains thickener E414, which provokes diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; antioxidant E330; preservative E296; dye E171; emulsifier (as indicated on the package) E322, which is an antioxidant, as well as E321 and glazing E903); - "Orbit" (contains sorbitol E420, which belongs to the group of emulsifiers and stabilizers; maltitol E965 (antifoaming agent-anti-flaming, and how dangerous it is - for the consumer to judge); stabilizer E422; thickener E414; dye E171; sweetener aspartame E951, etc.). Which of these chewing gum is less dangerous and whether it is worth consuming it at all is a private matter for everyone!

3. Some alcoholic energy drinks include:

- "ABSENTER ENERGY" (contains stabilizer E414; acidity regulator, also known as antioxidant E330; preservative E211); - "JAGUAR" (contains preservative E211; dyes); The majority of energy drinks that do not contain alcohol can be attributed to the same group, even if the letter code "E" does not appear in the composition, we advise you to pay attention to the name of the components contained, otherwise how is the "energetic" effect on the body justified ?!

4. Among chips and croutons:

- "Lays" in a small package (contains aspartame E951); - "Pringles" (contains the emulsifier E471); - crackers "Kirieshki" (contains flavor enhancer E621, E627, E631, E551, dye E100, etc.).

5. Among fermented milk products:

- "Activia" with the addition of something, be it fruits or cereals (as part of the thickener E1442); - “Rastishka yoghurt with fruit puree” (the same thickener E1442; dyes, etc.) is a baby food product !!! - "Danissimo" (thickener E1442, acidity regulators).

6. Among sausages:

- sausage "Kievskiy cervelat" sausage factory "Kanevskoy" (which contains stabilizers and preservative sodium nitrite E250); - "Amateur" boiled by the same manufacturer (contains a preservative-color fixative, as well as sodium nitrite E250);

7. Among the brands of ice cream: As an example, we can cite the products of La Fam, where the dye E102, E133, stabilizers E407, E410, E412, E466, E471 are found. And this is what our children eat!

8. Among the well-known chocolate manufacturers:

- "Sweet" and "Alpen Gold" (contain E476, stabilizers);

- "Nesquik" (E124 and E476 were found in the composition). Today the consumer should be more than vigilant in his choice and take into account at least the results of the latest research in this area, as well as coordinate his diet with the list of harmful and hazardous substances.