ROLE OF CHEMICAL

ADDITIVES IN FOOD

July 31, 2010

PRESERVATIVES

M.Sohail
National Institute of Food Science
& Technology,
1 University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad
Pakistan
OUTLINE

July 31, 2010

 Additives?

 Chemical additives as preservatives

Anti-ripening agents
Sprout inhibitors
Antioxidants
Chelating agents
Anti-microbial agents
 Chemical additives and food laws

2
Chemical Additives

July 31, 2010

 “Achemical additive is a substance or
a mixture of substances added
intentionally for a technological
purpose during manufacturing,
preparation, treatment, packing,
transport or storage”

3
CHEMICAL ADDITIVES AS
PRESERVATIVES

July 31, 2010

 Chemical additives as preservatives
may be used as anti-ripening agents,
sprout inhibiters, anti-microbial agents
and anti-oxidants.

4
CHEMICAL ADDITIVES AS
PRESERVATIVES

July 31, 2010

 Anti-ripening agents
 Delay ripening process by lowring
physiological functions in fruits an
vegetables

 Examples: Purafil used for plantain,

2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy acetic acid used
for mango

5
CHEMICAL ADDITIVES AS
PRESERVATIVES

July 31, 2010

 Sprout inhibiters
 Onion, carrots and potatoes more prone
to sprouting.
 More sprouting at 50-80 % R.H.

 Examples include Methyl esters of

naphthalene acetic acid, maleic hydride,
propham, chloropropham, phenyl
carbamate, vapours of nonylalcohal
6
CHEMICAL ADDITIVES AS
PRESERVATIVES

July 31, 2010

 Anti-oxidants
 Substances that prevent the reaction of
various food constituents with oxygen
thereby avoiding deterioration.
 Specially in fats and oils, carotenoids,
chlorophyll and heamoglobin.

 Examples: BHA, BHT, α-tocopherol,

isopropyl citrate mixture, L-ascorbic acid,
sulpher dioxide 7
CHEMICAL ADDITIVES AS
PRESERVATIVES

July 31, 2010

 Chelating agents
 Inactivatethe metals which react with
food constituents, by binding them and
forming complex
 Contain two or more donor groups and
form inner ring structure

 Examples includes: EDTA,

polyphosphates and citric acid
8
CHEMICAL ADDITIVES AS
PRESERVATIVES

July 31, 2010

 Antimicrobial agents

 Fumigants:
 Ethylene oxide, Ethyle formate

 Anti-fungal:
 Dithane M45 for surface growth.
 Sodium salt of O-phenyl phenol for citrus fruits.

9
CHEMICAL ADDITIVES AS
PRESERVATIVES

July 31, 2010

 Antimicrobial agents

 Antibacterial agents:
 Sodium benzoat and patassiiuum metabisulphite
in soft drinks

 Mold inhibiters:
 Sodium and calcium propeonats
 Sorbic acid for cheese

10
Chemical additives and food
laws

July 31, 2010

 Food laws regulate the amount of chemicals
allowed to add in specific foods
 Sulpher dioxide:
 Can be added to a maximum of 1500 ppm in fruit
juice concentrates
 In squashes, syrup and sharbats, 350 ppm

11
Chemical additives and food
laws

July 31, 2010

 Benzoic acid:
 Can be added to a maximum of 600 ppm
in syrups, sharbats
 A maximum of 250 ppm in tamato puree
and paste

12
July 31, 2010
13