GENERAL SCIENCE AND ABILITY

CSS 2016

Q.No.09 (a)
Discuss importance of preservatives
and antioxidants in food.
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Preservatives and additives are substances such
as antioxidants which are added in food to
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enhance its freshness, shelf life, flavour or
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texture. They are often added during processing
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of food products to add certain nutrients to the
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food in order to keep the product fresh for
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longer times and to make the food more
appealing.Th
DEFINITION BY WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)

Substances that are added to food to maintain or

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improve the safety, freshness, taste, texture, or
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appearance of food are known as food additives.
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Some food additives have been in use for centuries
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for preservation – such as salt (in meats such as
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bacon or dried fish), sugar (in marmalade), or
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sulfur dioxide (in wine).
IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVATIVES AND ANTIOXIDANTS:

Increase the life of foods, which means foods will not

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spoil (i.e., less wastage and more supply).

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Make foods safer to eat by removing toxins
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(particularly meats).
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By increasing supply, keep prices of foods
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affordable.
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Enrich foods by adding daily nutrition requirements.
An example is Vitamin C to orange juice.
Foods with preservatives are more visually appealing.
An example is how meat doesn’t brown when sodium

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nitrates and sodium nitrites help it to preserve its color.

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Another example is how flour is white when bleached.
Wheat is naturally brown in color but packaging will

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actually print “bleached flour”.

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Emulsification is a process that allows two substances

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such as oil and water that do not mix to be combined

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when preservatives are used. This is commonly seen in
salad dressings.
Stablizers and thickners are added to provide a
uniform texture.

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Anticaking agents allow substances to flow freely
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and help in change the acid-base balance of foods to
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get a certain flavour or color.
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Leavening agents are added in baked things such as

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cakes and biscuits to help them rise.
Salt is added to enhance flavour or preserve meats.
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Vinegar is added to preserve pickled food.
 SOURCES USED:

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www.who.int/ ff a
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http://neilpathakchemistry.weebly.com/
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