Natural & Artificial Food Preservatives advantages and disadvantages
Artificial food preservatives may act as antioxidants, They make the food more acidic, They reduce the moisture level of the food, They slow down the ripening process and they prevent the growth of microorganisms, Not all of these additives are 100-percent safe for everyone, and they all help the food last longer.
Artificial & Natural Food Preservatives advantages
You can make fewer trips to the store, You can have less food waste because the preservatives help minimize the amount of food you buy that goes bad before you can eat it, and Artificial preservatives are found in many different processed foods.
Although food additives are thought of as harmful, not all added substances are dangerous, Food additive refers to any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation, or storage of food.
The substance used for a specific purpose such as sweetener is a direct additive, It is listed on the food’s ingredient label, The indirect food additives are substances that find their way into the foods in small amounts due to packaging, storage or another handling.
Food additive
Artificial food preservation is certain chemicals and compounds that are added to the prepared foods to improve the look, color, taste, and texture, Some artificial food additives deter the growth of the microorganisms such as the bacteria and the mold that extends the product’s shelf life and increases the profitability.
The most common categories of food additives include preservatives, sweeteners, coloring agents, flavorings, emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners, texturizers, acidity control agents, and humectants that help retain the moisture.
Dehydration is a great way to preserve foods, For fruits and veggies, It takes out the moisture and hinders the product’s ability to create bacterially and to spoil while concentrating the nutrients and even the flavor, The healthy and tasty food will last for years when stored properly.
Pickling foods has been a preferred preservation method of many, Pickled vegetables and meats can offer a huge punch of flavor without having to use many add-on methods to add the calories, The salt is the enemy of all the bacteria, Every microorganism that attracted to food will not be able to thrive in the presence of salt.
Artificial and Natural Food Preservatives disadvantages
Artificial food additives can trigger allergic reactions and possibly lead to other serious health issues, You can have an allergic reaction to any compound if your immune system considers it pathogenic or disease-causing.
Sensitivities or allergic reactions to artificial food additives may be proliferating especially over the last 20 years, The allergic reactions to food additives are usually mild, skin irritation, intestinal upset, some breathing problems.
Up to 7 percent of chemically sensitive people prone to eczema which is a type of skin rash, The chemicals associated with triggering allergies or asthma include monosodium glutamate, or MSG, sulfites, food colorings, and artificial sweeteners.
The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD has increased in the last 20 years, The increase may be due to more accurate diagnosing or it could be partially related to preservatives and other food additives that children consume.
There is a strong link between ADHD and consumption of preservatives & artificial colors, There’s no solid evidence that food additives cause ADHD but certain food colorings and preservatives may increase hyperactive behavior in some children, Chemicals linked to hyperactivity include sodium benzoate, red food dye & various yellow food dyes.
There are many food additives particularly aspartame, saccharin, nitrites, and benzoates which have been linked to cancer because they produce carcinogenic compounds when they are metabolized.
Sodium nitrate is used in the preservation/curing of many foods such as hotdogs, sausages, and other cured foods, Nitrates purpose is to stave off botulism-causing bacteria, Diseases such as pancreatic and lung cancer has been attributed to meat consumption containing sodium nitrate.
Propyl Gallate is another chemical preservative that does not serve a good purpose with the food you eat, It is a stabilizer used in packaged meals, dry milk, baked goods, and other foods, The consumption of this preservative can cause prostate inflammation and tumors in brain, pancreas, and thyroid.
Potassium Bromate should be banned, It is a food preservative that is used to strengthen bread dough, It is a stronger gluten structure in the dough that means it holds more air and it has a better volume, It creates a larger-looking loaf of bread that has fewer ingredients, Potassium Bromate is a carcinogen causing tumors in kidneys and thyroid.
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are the preservatives used to prevent oxygenation, They keep the fats from turning rancid and they extend the shelf life of any food that contains the fat, BHA has been shown to directly cause cancer in the animals.
