UNIT 2

IMPACT OF
CHEMISTRY IN
HUMAN LIFE
FOOD CHEMISTRY
Part 2
 The E-Number of Food Additives
 In order to regulate the usage of food additives and for the information of the consumers,
each food additive is assigned a unique number called an E-number.
 This number codes are usually found on food labels in European Union, for all approved
additives.
 All the E-numbers are prefixed by 'E' but countries outside Europe use only the number.
 A fixed range of E-numbers are assigned to different categories of food additives.
 For instance;
 E100-E199 are food colours
 E200 E299 are preservatives
 E300-E399 are antioxidants
 E600-699 are flavouring agents and so on.
Some typical examples of E-numbers are given below:
 Flavours and Flavour Enhancers
• Flavour is the distinctive taste of food or drink, an indication of essential
character of something.
• Flavour is the term used to describe the sensory impression of food, which
is a combined effect of taste, odour and trigeminal impression in the oral
and nasal cavities.
• Flavour enhancers or taste enhancers improve the flavour and or aroma of
the food.
• They bring out the flavour in foods without imparting a flavour of their own.
• They are generally added to food products to give or intensify the flavour.
 Common food flavour enhancers….
1. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of the naturally occurring amino
acid, glutamic acid.

• MSG is recognized as the most pure example of savoury taste. Prolonged use
of it may cause Chinese restaurant syndrome
2. Monopotassium glutamate (MPG)
• It is the potassium salt of glutamic acid.
• It is not popular as MSG
3. Calcium diglutamate (CDG)
• CDG is the calcium salt of glutamic acid and also the
calcium analogue of MSG.
4. Disodium guanylate
• Disodium guanylate is sodium salt of the flavour enhancing
nucleotide guanosine mono phosphate (GMP).
• It is an expensive flavour enhancer.
 Artificial Sweeteners

• They impart sweet taste for fewer calories than sugar.

• That is the calorific values of these compounds are very less
compared to the natural sweetener, sucrose.
• The usage of the artificial sweeteners is thus recommended
for the diabetic patients.
• Saccharin is the first popular artificial sweetening agent.
• It is about 550 times as sweet as cane sugar.
Popular artificial sweeteners
 Fat Emulsifiers

• These are a class of food additives which are used to prevent oil and water
mixtures separating into layers.
• Commonly used fat emulsifiers are
1. Lecithin
2. Sorbitan monostearate
3. Ammonium salts of phosphatidic acids
 Stabilising Agents

• The main function of the stabilising agent is to act as a thickening agent to gel
the foods into the required consistency.
• Most stabilizing and thickening agents are polysaccharides.
• Common examples are starch, gums, or proteins like gelatin.
 Flour Treatment Agents

• Flour treatment agents improve flour performance in food items like bread
during the manufacture.
• Common examples are:
1. Sodium metabisulphite (Na₂S₂O5)

2. Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)

3. Potassium bromate (KBrO3)

 Antioxidants
• An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules.
• Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals and these radicals can start
chain reactions.
• When the chain reaction occurs in a cell, it can cause damage to the cell.
• Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical
intermediates and inhibit other oxidation reactions.
• Many antioxidants occur naturally in fruit and vegetables.
• The vitamins A, C and E have antioxidant properties.
• The health benefits of antioxidants are remarkably high.
• Recent studies reveal that they have preventive effect against diseases
like cancer.
• As a food additive, antioxidant retards or prevents the oxidative
deterioration of foods.
• They prevent food containing fat or oil from going rancid due to
oxidation.
Commonly used antioxidants
Why freshly cut apple and potato goes brown?

This is due to oxidation. But this can be prevented in kitchen by adding

lemon juice. This is because the lemon juice contains very strong
antioxidant, vitamin C.
 Preservatives

• A preservative may be defined as any a substance that prevent or retard deterioration when added
to food and drinks.
• It may inhibit or retard changes in appearance, odour, flavor and nutritive value.
• They inhibit the contamination through the growth of microorganisms such as yeasts, bacteria,
molds or fungi in foods and drinks.
• Preservation also reduces food cost and extends shelf life.
• Preservatives are generally classified as Class I and Class II preservatives.
• Class I preservative belongs to natural sources which also exhibit preservative
effects in foods.
• Class II preservatives are obtained by chemical derivation of compounds.
• Addition of class I preservative in any food is not restricted.
• However, the use of class II preservatives is restricted.
• They shall be added to only selected products within specified limit.
• Use of more than one class II preservative is prohibited.
• Let us have a glimpse on some common class II preservatives.
1. Benzoic acid and its salts
• Benzoic acid as its sodium salt (sodium benzoate) is one of the most
common food preservative.
• It is generally used in jams, jellies, tomato puree, ketchup, sweets like
halwa, soft drinks, sauces, squashes, syrups and sherbets, coffee extracts
etc.
• Yeasts are inhibited by benzoate to a greater extent compared to molds
and bacteria.
2. Sulphur dioxide, sulphites and bisuphites
• They are used in fruit and beverage preservation and in dehydrated
fruits and vegetables, soups and other mixes to control browning.
• Its salts are used to prevent fermentation and spoilage by yeasts and
mold.
3. Nitrates and Nitrites
• Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate are used for curing and pickling of
meats.
• They function as preservatives and help to prevent the growth of
harmful bacteria.
4. Sorbic acid and salts
• Sorbic acid and salts (calcium, sodium or potassium salts) are used widely in
bakery industry and confectionary products like cakes, fillings for chocolates
etc.
• Sorbic acid and its salt are practically tasteless and odourless in foods.
• Sorbates are most effective in acidic food items such as fruit juices.
 Nutritional Supplements
• Nutritional supplements include vitamins, amino acids etc.
• They are added to restore the lost supplements during processing
and storage of food.
• The common vitamins include:
1. B vitamins, including niacin
2. Vitamin C
3. Vitamin E
Thank you…..