Health Risk of Food Additives: Recent Developments and Trends in the Food Sector

Abstract

Certain chemical substances have been recognized and used for centuries through different cultures and civilizations either to enhance or preserve flavor, freshness, appearance, taste, texture or keeping quality attributes of foods. Many of these substances are of little or no nutritive value, but are added in small quantities during food processing, seasoning, packaging, storage, or display of both human and animal foods for a specific desired effect. Food additives provide an opportunity to feed the world through sustaining availability of convenient nutritious and affordable food for human consumption, while also providing an avenue to minimize food loss and waste. Sustained research innovations and advancement in food technology that began in the 20th century have led to introduction of over 3000 natural and artificially made substances that are added to food during preparation or processing to impart specific desirable characteristics. However, although use of food additives has contributed to the rapid growth of the food industry, this has also brought other unwanted health consequences that are of public health concern. This chapter explores the important role of food additives in the food industry, recent developments and trends and in the food sector to uncover some health risks associated with certain food additives to promote safe use and minimize negative health consequences.

What do parents of children know about food additives in selected foods?

“…acrylamide, phthalates, bisphenol), but also food additives which, despite many benefits, have many negative health effects and are a public health concern. 12,25 Taking into account the results of our own research as well as numerous reports in the literature on the adverse effects of some food additives on human health, it is prudent to carry out continuous monitoring of food safety at national and international level and to conduct scientific research aimed at understanding other health effects caused by exposure. on food additives, as well as continuous education of children and adults to minimise health risks.…”

Food additives and brain complications: A risk to public health

“…A food additive is any substance that becomes part of a food either directly or indirectly during processing, storage, packaging or manufacturing stages (Fellows, 2022). Additives can be direct or indirect, the former being the ones that are added intentionally and purposefully to the food while the latter ones, although in minor quantities, are those migrating unintended into the food as a result of growing, processing and/or packaging (Mwale, 2023). Additives perform some important functions in food preparation and can be eliminated only at the cost of loss of aesthetics, nutrients, and taste benefits and involve increased labor.…”

Microbiological Quality of Gadus morhua Treated With Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Launaea taraxacifolia Leaves

“…3 Meanwhile, a grоwing number of consumers are aware of the potential negative health effects of chemical preservatives and this has prоmpted research into alternative natural products to promote safe use. 4 Moreover, the intrоduction of nanоtechnоlоgy in food preservation may оffer potential solutions for the challenge presented by shоrt shelf life of fish and fishery prоducts, improving their quality and keeping them free of micrоbial adhesiоn. 5 A number of shelf life-promoting strategies have been adopted for fish and fisheries products.…”