Food additive sampling failed! Key reminder: 5 kinds of additives may harm the human body, eat less

Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation organized food safety supervision and sampling inspections, took 658 batches of samples of 27 categories of food, and finally found that 13 batches of samples of 9 categories of food were unqualified.

The main reasons for failure include: excessive addition of food additives, excessive veterinary drug residues, and microbial contamination . Among them, the issue of food additives is particularly prominent.

What are the effects of food additives on the human body? Is the high incidence of cancer in China related to food additives? Today, Xiao Jiu will explain it to you one by one.

The website of the General Administration of Image Market Supervision

1. Nearly 97% of food contains additives, which Chinese people eat the most?

A data shows that about 97% of contemporary people's food is inseparable from "additives", and the "family" of additives is very large, with more than 2,000 "members". So, what exactly are additives?

Simply put, a food additive is a substance added to improve the taste, color and freshness of food .

In terms of types, it can be roughly divided into 22 categories, such as preservatives (such as potassium sorbate, sulfur dioxide, etc.), colorants (such as carmine, tartrazine, etc.). In the catalogue of food additives in China, more than 2,000 kinds of food additives have been recorded, including natural food additives and artificial chemical synthetic products.

There is a saying that "Chinese people eat the most additives, and the reason why China has a high incidence of cancer is because they eat too many additives." Is it true?

In this regard, Zhong Kai, deputy director of the Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center, explained: The Chinese are the country with the largest production of food additives in the world, but the consumption is not necessarily, because a large part is exported to the European and American markets , developed countries The intake of food additives in different regions is higher than that of non-developed countries.

At present, all products approved for use in China are safe , so as long as they meet national standards and use food additives in strict accordance with the varieties and dosages prescribed by the state, there is no need to worry about toxicity or cancer.

2. Will "zero additive" and "homemade food" be healthier?

Some people think that food additives are added to most of the food sold outside, so they are more inclined to buy food marked with "zero additives" or choose homemade food, but in fact these seemingly safe foods are also hidden. with health risks.

At present, there are roughly two types of foods that claim to be "zero added" on the market. One is that they are allowed to be added but not added; the other is that they are not allowed to be added but are still marked with zero addition.

Let's look at the first one. Every legal additive has its meaning, such as preservatives, to prevent food from spoiling quickly. Without it, if the food cannot be eaten at one time, it may lead to the growth of microorganisms and bring hidden dangers to health.

The second case is false propaganda, which is another matter. Therefore, what determines food safety and nutrition is not whether to add additives, but whether to add them in a standardized and reasonable manner .

For those foods made at home, because the temperature, sterilization and other process conditions cannot be guaranteed, accidental bacterial contamination may occur, and eating contaminated food is very detrimental to health.

3. These 5 kinds of food additives may harm the human body, try to stay away from them

Although regular food additives are harmless to the human body, a small number of unscrupulous merchants may add excessive food additives to food for reasons such as taste, which is extremely harmful to human health, such as children's snacks, and food for pregnant women and nursing mothers.

If you eat this type of food additives, it may affect the liver and kidney functions, especially children who have not yet fully developed and pregnant women and nursing mothers in special physiological stages . Therefore, everyone should be vigilant when buying, especially the following ones, excessive consumption is not good for human health:

1. Sodium Saccharin

It belongs to a kind of artificial sweetener, which is very common and is often used in cold drinks, jelly, popsicles and other foods. This substance is not easily absorbed by the human body. However, excessive intake may affect the normal secretion of gastrointestinal digestive enzymes, reduce the absorption capacity of the small intestine, and reduce appetite.

2. Vanillin

It is mostly used in flavored foods that need to increase the aroma of milk, such as dairy products and baked goods . If 0-6 months old infant formula food should not add any flavorings, such substances may cause dizziness, nausea and other discomfort if added in large quantities, and may lead to liver and kidney damage in severe cases.

3. Benzoic acid and its sodium salt

It is a kind of preservative, which can inhibit mold, yeast and bacteria very well. It can be used in foods such as soy sauce . The maximum use limit is 1.0g/kg. If it is added excessively, it may lead to accumulation of liver poisoning.

4. Bright blue

It is a synthetic colorant and is often used in foods such as preserved fruits , with a maximum dosage of 0.025g/kg. Excessive addition of this additive may cause teratogenic and carcinogenic risks.

5. Amaranth

It is also a kind of synthetic colorant, and can also be used in foods such as candied fruit , with a maximum dosage of 0.05g/kg. If excessively added, there may be risks of teratogenicity and cancer.

Summary: Food additives have their meaning. With them, we can all eat food with good taste, good shape and good color.

Therefore, we must look at food additives rationally. As long as food additives are used legally, there is no threat to health, so we do not need to worry too much.

References:

[1] "Announcement of the State Administration for Market Regulation on Unqualified Sampling of 13 Batches of Food". Website of the State Administration for Market Regulation. 2022-04-29

[2] "Zero Additive" is the standard for measuring good food? What's wrong with food additives". Life Times. 2018-08-30

[3] "Don't buy it! A variety of snacks are officially named". Popular Science China 2022-05-06

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