SCIENCE 4B- 10

CHEMISTRY
Module 3 – Chapter 21:
Chemistry in Food, in the Home, and on the
Farm

PROF. RITA D. GORDO

Subject Teacher

JOBERT P. NOTADO
Practice Teacher

MODULE IN SCIENCE 4B-CHEMISTRY Prepared by: JOBERT P. NOTADO

 LESSON FOOD ADDITIVES
#3
TOXIC SUBSTANCES
OVERVIEW

For centuries, ingredients have served useful functions in a variety of foods.

Our ancestors used salt to preserve meats and fish, added herbs and spices to
improve the flavor of foods, preserved fruit with sugar, and pickled cucumbers in a
vinegar solution. Today, consumers demand and enjoy a food supply that is flavorful,
nutritious, safe, convenient, colorful and affordable. Food additives and advances in
technology help make that possible. Still, some consumers have concerns about
additives because they may see the long, unfamiliar names and think of them as
complex chemical compounds.

The old saying, "what you don't know can't hurt you," isn't always good advice.
When it comes to toxic substances, WHAT YOU KNOW CAN HELP YOU. Radon in
basements, lead in drinking water, exhausts from cars and chemicals released from
landfills are just a few examples of toxic substances that can hurt you. By
understanding how, you can reduce your exposure to chemicals and reduce your risk
of harmful health effects.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After going through this module, you are expected to;

1. Evaluate the use of food additives.
2. Explain what toxic substances are and how they enter the human body
3. Discuss how toxic materials affect plants and man.

MODULE IN SCIENCE 4B-CHEMISTRY Prepared by: JOBERT P. NOTADO

21.2 FOOD ADDITIVES

The use of food additives has

been practiced for thousands of
years. The common preservatives in
the olden times were vinegar, salt,
sugar, smoke, and spices. The
Chinese used ethylene and propene
to ripen peas and bananas, while
ancient Egyptians used food colors.
Chemical substances like sodium
nitrite, sodium nitrate, propionic acid, and others are now being used to retard
spoilage. Some additives are used to maintain freshness, enhance flavor and nutritive
value, and increase the attractiveness and acceptability of food. In food processing,
additives and chemicals are added to sanitize, bleach, control moisture or dryness,
and improve the texture of food.

Almost all "convenience foods," or instant foods, in groceries contain a variety

of food additives. What are food additives? A food additive is any substance that is
used to condition food as a dietary supplement and to affect some useful purpose in
the food. It may also be any substance that affects the characteristics of food.

The following are common substances used in food preparations:

1. Vitamins, minerals, and certain amino acids—They provide nutritional

supplements.

2. Preservatives—Some examples of these are benzoic acid, citric acid, sodium

nitrate, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, and sulfur dioxide. They prevent
spoilage caused by bacterial decay and growth of molds.

3, Artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners—They are used to improve the

appearance and flavor of food.

4. Emulsifiers—They are used to allow one liquid to mix or blend with another
liquid. Lecithin, polysorbate, and propylene glycol are used as emulsifiers.

MODULE IN SCIENCE 4B-CHEMISTRY Prepared by: JOBERT P. NOTADO

 5, Antioxidants—These are chemicals that are added to maintain freshness by
preventing the Oxidation process. Examples are propyl gallate, butylated
hydf0xyanisole (BHA), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT).

6. Stabilizers and thickeners—These include dextrin, gelatin, vegetable gum,

and seaweed extracts. They are used to alter the texture of food and make it
smoother.

How safe are food additives? Sometimes an additive may have two functions,
which are to preserve the food and to improve the flavor of the food.

In using any food additive, its dose or quantity should be a great consideration
due to the harmful effects it may cause. For example, a very common flavor enhancer
called monosodium glutamate (MSG), when used in large quantities, produces profuse
sweating and dizziness.

Food additives that are classified dangerous are those that are introduced in
food through the use of insecticides like DDT and antibiotics such as streptomycin.
Diethyl stilbestrol, which is used to fatten cattle and organomercurials, which are used
to prevent mildewing of seeds, are suspected to be carcinogenic. Carcinogenic
substances cause cancer. Some carcinogens occur naturally in food. A charcoal-
broiled steak contains 3, 4-benzopyrene which comes from the fumes of charcoal.
Safrole is a carcinogen found in root beer Carcinogenic chemicals are also found in
automobile exhaust and tobacco smoke,

21.3 TOXIC SUBSTANCES

While these substances are potentially hazardous, they admittedly play useful
roles in our home and office. Understanding their existence and even more
importantly, taking the necessary steps to avoid the attendant risks. is very vital.

Modem chemical processes have developed new products which you may use
in your daily activities. You may not realize that some of these products contain toxic
substances.

MODULE IN SCIENCE 4B-CHEMISTRY Prepared by: JOBERT P. NOTADO

 Toxic substances, or toxins, are
chemicals that adversely affect living
organisms. Toxicology the study of these
effects. Toxicologists classify the effects as
either acute or chronic.

Acute effects are those symptoms

that appear right after exposure and often disappear shortly after the exposure ends.
Generally, these effects are caused by fairly high concentrations of chemicals during
a short-term exposure. Skin rashes and poisoning are some acute effects of toxic
substances.

Chronic effects are delayed, long-lasting responses to toxic agents. A disease

may be manifested months or years after exposure, as in the case of emphysema
caused by cigarette smoke.

Chemicals can affect virtually every cell in the body. Their adverse long-term
effects include cancer, mutations, birth defects, and reproductive impairments.

Toxic substances exert their effects at the cellular level in three ways:

1. Toxins can affect enzymes, the cellular proteins that regulate many important
chemical reactions. For example, both mercury and arsenic bond to certain
enzymes, blocking their activity
2. Some toxins can bind directly to cells, or molecules within the ceil, so that the
chemical balance is upset within the body. As an example, CO binds to
hemoglobin in the blood, and this interferes with the transport of 02, which may
lead to death.
3. Some toxins can cause the release of other naturally occurring substances that
have an adverse effect. Carbon tetrachloride (CCI.) for example, stimulates
certain nerve cells to release large quantities of epinephrine, believed to cause
liver damage.

The toxicity level of a substance depends upon the following factors: (a) the
quantity and concentration of the poisonous substance taken, (b) the route of entry,

MODULE IN SCIENCE 4B-CHEMISTRY Prepared by: JOBERT P. NOTADO

and (c) the susceptibility of the person. Age, sex, and health condition contribute to
the final outcome.

The toxic effect is directly proportional to the dose and concentration of the
chemical. For example, a larger amount and higher concentration of insecticide will kill
more pests faster. How would you explain the other factors? Give examples for each.

The effects of different toxic substances add up and may be lethal when taken
simultaneously. For instance, when a person is a Chain_ smoker and is continuously
exposed to asbestos fibers, the probability of developing lung cancer is greater
compared with the risk present in either smoking or asbestos exposure alone. This
enhancement is termed synergism.

Toxic Substances in Plants

The quantity and quality of crops

can be affected when chemical pesticides
and inorganic salts are used. Pesticides
applied to agricultural crops contaminate
the soil. They act as soil pollutants by
reducing the number of species of living
organisms in the soil and by disrupting soil
structure and fertility.

Permanent damage is created when chlorinated hydrocarbons are used. These

persistent hydrocarbons are eaten by earthworms and are eventually transferred to
birds and high predators within a food chain.

Rice and other farm products in some towns in Pangasinan, [locos Sur, and La
Union are ruined by the mines in Benguet. The mine tailings and other wastes which
escaped from Bued, Agno, and Amburayan rivers caused the drying up of the rice
lands, which slowed down the growth of rice stalks, thus reducing the harvest.

MODULE IN SCIENCE 4B-CHEMISTRY Prepared by: JOBERT P. NOTADO

ACTIVITY #3

KNOWING FOOD ADDITIVES

Most packaged foods contain additives to enhance the taste, appearance, or

shelf life of the product. For the following food additives, identify its function in food
products, foods in which the additive may be found and any problem associated with
the use of additive.

Write your answer in your activity notebook (big green notebook). NOTE: If it’s
printed you can attach it to your activity notebook. Take a picture of your answer and
submit it in our google classroom.

Name
ADDITIVE FUNCTION FOOD SOURCES PROBLEMS
1. BHA
2. Lecithin
3. Food color
4. Seaweed extracts
5. MSG

ASSESSMENT #3

Write your answer in your activity notebook (big green notebook). NOTE: If it’s
printed you can attach it to your activity notebook. Take a picture of your answer and
submit it in our google classroom.

1. Give three functions of additives in food processing.

2. Explain briefly the adverse effects of mining to crops.
3. How is food chain affected by toxic chemicals?

MODULE IN SCIENCE 4B-CHEMISTRY Prepared by: JOBERT P. NOTADO

POINTS TO REMEMBER

✓ A food additive is any substance that is used to condition food as a dietary

supplement and to affect some useful purpose in the food. It may also be any
substance that affects the characteristics of food.
✓ Toxic substances, or toxins, are chemicals that adversely affect living
organisms.
✓ Toxicology the study of these effects.
✓ Toxicologists classify the effects as either acute or chronic.
✓ Acute effects are those symptoms that appear right after exposure and often
disappear shortly after the exposure ends. Chronic effects are delayed, long-
lasting responses to toxic agents.
✓ Pesticides applied to agricultural crops contaminate the soil.

REFERENCES:

• Department of Education. “K to 12 Curriculum Guide Science (Grade 3 to 10).”

Accessed October 2019.
"https://www.deped.gov.ph/wpcontent/uploads/2019/01/Science-CG_with-
tagged-sciequipment_revised.pdf.
• LRDMS Portal. Science Modules. December 29, 2014. "Accessed October 13,
2019.
• You and The Natural World-Chemistry pg. 470-474
• https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/overview-food-
ingredients-additives-colors
• https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/chemicals/toxic_substances.htm

MODULE IN SCIENCE 4B-CHEMISTRY Prepared by: JOBERT P. NOTADO