Chemicals in Food

1. Artificial Sweetening Agents

The first artificial sweetener was discovered in the laboratory of American chemist Ira Remsen by his student C.Fahlberg. He developed a commercial synthesis and in 1885 filed a patent naming the substance saccharin. Saccharin is the first artificial sweetener. Saccharin is an artificial sweetener that is approximately 550 times sweeter than sugar cane. Ortho Sulphobenzimide is the other name of Saccharin. It is a synthetic substance used in food and beverages in place of sugar. Artificial sweeteners are sweeter and have fewer calories than sucrose. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is a trichloro variant of sucrose. Artificial Sweeteners are widely used by people dieting to lose weight and by people with diabetes. Experiments have shown that people consuming large quantities of artificial sweetness may be putting their health at risk. Artificial sweetener Cyclamates were banned in USA and UK in 1970. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is 100 times sweeter than sugar cane and about 200 times as sweet as sugar. A number of countries including USA and UK have approved its use. Alitame is a more stable artificial sweetener than Aspartame.

2. Food Preservatives

Food Preservatives are those that prevent food from spoiling due to the growth of microorganisms. Examples of Food Preservatives are Salt, Sugar, Vegetable Oils, Sodium Benzoate etc.

3. Food Additives

It is any chemical that food manufacturers intentionally add to one of their products. Some additives increase a food's nutritional value. Others improve the colour, flavour or texture of foods. Still others keep foods from spoiling. Common food additives include iodine, put into salt to prevent goitre and baking powder added to dough to make it rise. Some food additives come from other foods. Scientists also create many synthetic additives in the laboratory. Some people consider food additives dangerous to their health. But many of these chemicals occur naturally in foods that people have eaten for centuries.

4. Antioxidants in Food

These help to preserve food by reducing the action of oxygen on it. Example - Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA).