What is a food additive? This presentation defines a food additive as any substance the intended use of, which may reasonably be expected to, directly or indirectly, becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of food. This excludes pesticides, color additives, prior sanctioned substances, and substances that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS).
Dr. Clemens discusses addresses why we use food additives and food preservatives. Food additives preserve nutritional quality of food, provide necessary ingredients for those with special diet needs, enhance the stability of food, and aid in the manufacturing, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, etc. of food. He also gave some examples of what our foods would look like if we did not have food additives. One example he gave was strawberry ice cream. Most would expect the ice cream to be pink, so a food color is added. Food additives are also added to make the consistency for ice cream. Another interesting point he discussed was food sustainability. Food additives allow for longer shelf life, which can help to reduce waste. Food preservatives are substances added to foods to inhibit microbial growth. 3 fundamental functions of food preservatives include: promoting food safety, providing greater food choices, and promoting food convenience. The 2 types of food preservatives are direct and indirect. Direct food additives are added during processing and provide nutrients, keep the product fresh, and make the food more appealing. Indirect food additives can be found during or after the food has been processed.
Amy Miller discussed consumers and she starts with recognizing some of the latest trends when it comes to consumers shopping for food. Consumers are reporting that additives have a strong influence on what they purchase. 25% of consumers are seeking products with ingredients they recognize or with the shortest list of ingredients. Consumers are also shopping for foods without preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and chemical additives. I thought it was interesting because less preservatives could increase food waste and decrease shelf life as mentioned by Dr. Clemens. 59% (6 out of 10) of consumers believe that that fewer ingriedents mean it’s healthier which is not always the case.
Nutritionists or any experts in food have an opportunity to educate consumers and clear up any misconceptions that people have about food and what’s in it. There is some fear and uncertainty about ingredients and the proper advice and education will allow consumers to make more informed decisions when shopping. The food industry has responded by decreasing artificial additives, sweeteners, MSG, trans fat, etc. Overall, I think the trends of eating healthier will continue to grow, but there’s still a gap in understanding what is “good” and what is “bad”. As mentioned in this presentation, ingredients that are clean and natural do not always equate to safe or healthful.
Kristen, this was definitely a good topic to have a discussion about, as many people don’t quite understand all that goes into the foods we consume on a daily basis. I also liked how the presenters made a clear distinction between food additives and food preservatives. Most consumers do not truly know the difference, so if someone is looking for food without preservatives, and they see a product saying “no additives” they may purchase that product assuming that means no preservatives, which is not the case. I also found it interesting that 6/10 people think that less ingredients means that it is a healthier option for them, which can be a very common misconception. Take the example of a V8 fusion drink compared to a Gatorade. The Gatorade is going to have significantly less ingredients than the V8 fusion, but the V8 is a much better product for you. While this probably seems obvious to most of us, the common consumer may believe that Gatorade is a better option than soda and V8, which is not true. One question that I did have for you is what is the purpose of the indirect food additives? You discussed the purpose of using direct food additives, but did not mention why they would use indirect food additives? I am not familiar with the differences between them and could use some clarity.
Hi Anthony,
Dr. Clemens gave the example of cereal or a food that may be wrapped in some type of plastic material. The indirect food additives that result from processing, handling procedures, or packaging also help to preserve the freshness of the product. The indirect additives are not added intentionally or directly, but still become a component of the food product in small trace amounts. He also mentions that many of the nutrients that can be added to food are unstable to light, temperature,etc., and that indirect food additives can help preserve foods under different conditions. I wish he would have talked about them a little more or at least given some examples. I did some additional digging and they have entire lists of indirect food additives on the FDA website and other ways they are used when it comes to food products (coatings, production aids, polymers).
Kristen, thanks for the clarity on the differences between them. I guess it would make the most sense that the indirect food additives would not be added during the production of the product. But rather are added after production to keep the product fresher for longer such as plastic, cardboard, or some other kind of container used for storage. I feel like there could be a better term used to describe the packaging used to sustain the longevity of a product rather than calling it an indirect “additive” since there may not actually be anything “added” to the product.
Kristen, thanks for the interesting post. I do not have a strong background in nutrition so this was very informative to me. After reading your blog, I realized that I did not have clear understanding of the differences between food preservatives and food additives. Within my family, we generally purchase items that are “no additives/no preservatives.” I am aware that those foods do not last as long and we make extra efforts to consume the foods in a timely manner — mostly to avoid wasting money. I never considered the overall food waste that would also increase as a result of less preservatives. Did Dr. Clemens go into further detail as to why fewer ingredients are not always healthier?
This was actually said by Amy Miller who did the second part of the webinar, and it was interesting that she said this because I didn’t quite understand either. At first I thought about serving size. Fewer ingredients is great, but how often do consumers follow the labels on the foods? Could healthier foods still cause issues if they are consumed too much? But I had to review that section again and I think she made the comment based on the functions of certain ingredients that are added to different foods. Dr. Clemens talks about foods such as fruits and vegetables that have naturally occurring toxins. If consumed in large amounts, it has the potential to be harmful, but because the amounts consumers eat are not as large it poses no significant risk to health. Amy Miller discussed the functions of certain ingredients and how they keep food fresh, safe, and improve the quality of food. She gave the example of meats that are cured with nitrates and nitrites and how without them, you could be at risk for a food borne illness. I think that’s why she mentioned there’s a large education opportunity for nutritionists to help consumers understand the functions and purpose of these ingredients.