The Health Effects of Preservatives

The Health Effects of Preservatives

According to "Chemical & Engineering News," there are three types of preservatives. They can be antimicrobials that prevent growth of bacteria, yeasts or molds in your food; they can be antioxidants that decrease oxidation of fats, which might lead to rancidity; and they can act as a blockage to the enzyme processes that occur in foods. The consumption of preservatives in foods may lead to many health effects.

Hyperactive Behavior in Children

A report in Medical News Today discusses a 2004 study that aimed to explore the effect that artificial food colorings and preservatives in food had on the behavior of 3-year-old children. The study concluded that the children showed less hyperactive behavior when they did not consume foods containing preservatives. Medical News Today says that the study indicates that benzoate preservatives and artificial food colorings have a general adverse effect of the behavior of 3-year-old children as noted by parents.

Effect on the Pancreas

The University of Maryland Medical Center says that the consumption of preservatives may have a harmful effect on your pancreas. Reducing or eliminating your intake of preservatives and chemical food additives may help reduce your risk of developing pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. It may also help reduce symptoms associated with pancreatitis, such as nausea and vomiting, fever, pain and abdominal tenderness.

Source of Allergies

Food allergies are exaggerated responses of your immune system that may be triggered by foods and food ingredients. According to the National Institutes of Health, food additives are a common food allergy. Food additives include preservatives, dyes and thickeners, and may lead to an allergic reaction. Symptoms of an allergy may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing or nasal congestion.

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Food Additive Side Effects

Food Additive Side Effects

The additives in your food are put there to improve or preserve nutrient value, keep food from spoiling, or control acidity or alkalinity of foods. Additives that provide color or flavor or maintain a product's consistency are used to make your food more appealing, reports The New York Times. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a list of additives that are generally recognized as safe, or GRAS. The GRAS list has more than 700 items, including sweeteners, sulfites, vinegar and MSG. Some food additives have known side effects.

Aspartame

Aspartame is used as a low-calorie sweetener in items like gum, drinks, pudding and yogurt. If you are allergic to aspartame, it can cause migraine headaches, according to a guide compiled by CNN.

Saccharin

Saccharin is a sweetener often used in carbonated drinks, jellies, canned fruits and fruit juice beverages. In laboratory animals, it is known to cause cancer, according to CNN.

MSG

Monosodium Glutamate, or MSG, is used to enhance a food's flavor. It can be found in everything from frozen foods to dressings to canned tuna and vegetables. Some folks suffer side effects when they eat too much MSG, according to CNN. This is dubbed "Chinese restaurant syndrome," due to the fact that MSG commonly is found in foods at such restaurants. Symptoms can include general weakness, flushing, heart palpitations or numbness along the back of your neck, according to Dr. Andrew Weil, Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine founder. Also, if you're on a low-sodium diet, you need to avoid MSG along with another additive, sodium bicarbonate, because both are both significant sources of sodium, advises CNN.

BHA and BHT

Butylated hydroxyanisole, or BHA, is used as a preservative to keep foods from going rancid. It's also a defoaming agent used with yeast. Butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT, is a preservative that prevents food from changing color, flavor or odor. In large doses, studies indicate that BHA and BHT may cause tumors in animals. Results remain inconclusive, however, advises CNN. BHA is usually found in foods that are high in oils and fats such as butter. It's also found in snack foods, baked goods, beer, cereals, meats and dehydrated potatoes. BHT is found in foods that are high in oils and fats, shortening and cereals.

Sulfites

Potassium bisulfate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite and sulfur dioxide are types of sulfites that are used to prevent discoloration in fruit and to halt bacterial growth in wine, according to CNN. The FDA does not allow their use on raw fruits or vegetables. Some people suffer allergic reactions to sulfites. People who have asthma also can have reactions because of the sulfur dioxide in them, which an asthmatic inhales as he eats sulfited food. Sulfur dioxide irritates his lungs and may cause severe bronchospasm, or a constriction of his lungs, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Symptoms also may include coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, according to the European Food Information Council.

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Harmful Effects of Preservatives in Foods

Harmful Effects of Preservatives in Foods

Preservatives in foods are designed to prevent bacteria growth and spoilage, but sometimes they can also prevent you from enjoying good health. While the effects of food preservatives on the body can vary with age and health status, looking into the potential harmful effects of preservatives in foods may help you reclaim good health and protect your personal well-being against toxic damage.

Breathing Difficulties

One of the harmful effects of preservatives in foods is the potential to cause breathing difficulties. According to MayoClinic.com, eliminating foods with preservatives from the diet can reduce the symptoms and severity of asthma. MayoClinic.com identified aspartame, sulfites, benzoates and yellow dye No. 5 as preservatives that could exacerbate breathing problems in asthmatics and others, while Medical News Today linked sulphites with shortness of breath and other breathing problems.

Behavioral Changes

Another harmful effect of preservatives in foods is behavioral changes, especially in young children. According to the Archives of Disease in Children, in a 2003 double-blind study of 1,873 children the consumption of food additives and preservatives led to significant increase in hyperactive behavior. Removing the preservatives or using a placebo didn't lead to these behaviors, which were measured by both parental and objective reporting. The researchers coordinating the study noted that whether the children had been previously identified as hyperactive didn't matter in terms of the effects of the preservatives and additives on their behavior.

Heart Damage

Studies of heart tissue reviewed by InChem have showed that food preservatives can weaken heart tissues. According to laboratory research, rats who consumed the highest levels of food preservatives showed the highest levels of heart damage over time.

Cancer

One of the most serious harmful effects of preservatives in foods is their ability to transform into carcinogens when digested. According to InChem, nitrosamines, which include nitrites and nitrates, interact with stomach and gastric acids to form cancer-causing agents. To avoid this natural chemical reaction between your body and the preservatives, you will need to monitor your diet to eliminate nitrates and nitrites from your meals, snacks and beverages.

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How Food Coloring Affects You

How Food Coloring Affects You

Overview

It's hard to get away from food coloring; nearly every processed food contains it. Food coloring makes food more attractive, which makes you more likely to buy it, so manufacturers aren't going to stop using it anytime soon. Debates have raged over the safety of food coloring, and certain dyes can have more of an effect on yourhealth than others. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has approved the use of nine artificial additives that require certification before use. Manufacturers must list these on food labels. Natural pigments such as caramel don't require certification.

Allergies

Any substance can cause allergic reactions in susceptible people. One food coloring in particular, FD&C Yellow No. 5, also known as tartrazine, has a higher potential for causing allergic reactions than others. According to the FDA, fewer than one in 10,000 people may develop hives after consuming products containing this dye. Yellow No. 5 is one of the most common food dyes, found in 25 percent of all processed foods, according to the watchdog organization Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Hyperactivity

One of the main debates about food coloring is whether it increases hyperactivity or the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. FD&C Yellow No.5 may cause hyperactivity in a small group of preschoolers, the FDA states. Several studies have been conducted on a possible link between hyperactivity and food dyes, including a study conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton in England on 1,873 3-year-old children. The study, reported in the June 2004 issue of "Archives of Disease in Childhood," found that parents detected an increase in hyperactivity when children consumed products containing dyes. Parents reported an increase in children independent of whether they were diagnosed as hyperactive or had allergies. Clinical assessment did not detect a difference in behavior. According to MayoClinic.com, food dyes do not cause ADHD but may worsen behavior in children with the disorder. In addition to Yellow No. 5, MayoClinic.com listed Yellow No. 6 and 10 along with Red No. 40 as potentially increasing hyperactivity in children.

Cancer Concerns

Concerns over the possibility that food coloring could cause cancer have also raged for years. The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that several dyes, including Green No. 3, Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 6 have been linked with different types of cancer in rats and mice, including bladder tumors and adrenal and testicular cancers. No human studies have shown a link between food dyes and cancer.

Considerations

It's difficult to avoid food coloring unless you grow and process all your food at home. Manufacturers must list certified food colorings on product labels, so you can avoid these if you have significant reactions to them. Watchdog groups continue to pressure the FDA for more thorough testing on food additives, including food dyes.

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The Effects of Food Preservatives on the Human Body

The Effects of Food Preservatives on the Human Body

Overview

The mention of preservatives may bring thoughts of harmful chemical food additives. In some cases, this may be justified, as some preservatives have unhealthy side effects in large doses. Others, however, have benefits which can outweigh these concerns when used properly. The preservation practice itself dates back much longer than the modern use of chemicals. Salt, potassium nitrate and smoke have been used for centuries to preserve meat, and vinegar has likewise been used with vegetables.

The General Benefits of Preservatives

The European Food Information Council notes that preservatives are not generally considered bad for your health. Their use extends the shelf life of perishable foods, extending their window of safe consumption. Microorganisms such as yeast, mold, fungi and bacteria can spoil food or cause it to rot. Certain microorganisms may also spread harmful disease when eaten. Sulphites, for example, inhibit the growth of bacteria in wine and fermented foods. Calcium propionate slows the progression of mold in bread. Botulinum bacteria is prevented from growing in processed meats via the use of nitrates and nitrites.

Negative Side Effects of Some Common Preservatives

The digestive wellness website Puristat raises concerns about some commonly-used preservatives. The site associates nitrates and nitrites with asthma, headaches and nausea in some individuals. Sodium nitrite may be converted to nitrous acid within the human digestive system, and this substance has been associated with high rates of cancer in laboratory animals. Allergies to benzoic acid and sodium benzoate can cause severe reactions. Even salt, which the body needs in small amounts, can contribute to cardiovascular disease when regularly overeaten.

How Preservatives are Regulated

Because of the possible dangers associated with preservatives, food additives are strictly regulated and tested for human use. Testing procedures include determination of maximum safe amounts, demonstration of a benefit to the consumer and a technological need for the additive. Government agencies, such as the European Food Information Council in the European Union, oversee the testing and approval of food additives.

Concerns About Digestion and Absorption of Nutrients

A 2010 article in the Daily Mail documented an experiment that American nutritionist Joann Bruso conducted, in which she famously left a McDonald's Happy Meal unrefrigerated for a year to observe its rate of spoilage. After one year, the food contained such high enough amounts of preservatives, it remained unspoiled. Bruso recalled that flies and other insects did not approach the unprotected food and that, aside from being very dry, the meal remained relatively unchanged. She reasoned that the human body would have difficulty digesting or breaking down such well-preserved foods, rendering their nutritional value to humans low.

Slowed Rates of Human Decay After Death

When anecdotal evidence pointed to a slowing in the rate of decay among human bodies from the 1960s to 1980s, some attributed this to the presence of preservatives from processed food. Nutrition and food author Seth Roberts speculated in 2009 that these preservatives may not directly impact the rate of decay but perhaps act to diminish the presence of some bacteria that play a role in the decomposition process.

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