Today's nutritional labels read much like our children's chemistry books with the use of technical names we're unable to pronounce and rarely understand. Yet, by the use of these chemical preservatives, the common proteins we consume are thankfully protected from threats of mold, bacteria and decomposition before reaching our supermarket coolers.
Food manufacturers wholeheartedly embrace some preservatives more than others due to their natural antioxidant properties and ability to be metabolized by humans without harmful side effects. However, some preservatives used in protein foods are known carcinogens and often cause allergic reactions.
Vitamin C
Completely safe for human consumption, vitamin C is actually manufactured by the human body as well. The antioxidant properties of this essential vitamin help to keep our foods fresh and maintain their color. Its technical name, as printed on our ingredient lists, is ascorbic acid, and it is found in cured meats such as bacon, ham and cold cuts. Vitamin C is one of the preferred preservatives as it is non-toxic and can be easily assimilated by the human body.
Sorbates
Heroic in their non-toxic, odorless and tasteless nature, sorbates are one of the most potent and preferred preservatives used in protein foods. Primarily preserving food with compounds that inhibit bacteria and yeast from growing out of control, these preservatives are found in proteins like cheeses, yogurt and sour cream as well as smoked and salted fish.
BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole, known as BHA, and butylated hydroxytoluene, known as BHT, are a couple of the more problematic and toxic preservatives in protein foods. Both are found in fatty foods and use their antioxidant capabilities to keep volatile oxygen atoms from making fats go rancid. However, some studies have confirmed that both substances have caused cancer in lab rodents and some humans have difficulty metabolizing them.
Sodium Nitrites
Found in processed meats like hot dogs and cold cuts, sodium nitrites are known to develop cancer-producing substances upon digestion in the colon. Since it is a salt, many meat processing companies use it to cure meats and ward off clostridium botulinum, the nasty little organism that causes botulism in humans. Sodium nitrates are responsible for the reddish color of hot dogs and bacon. Unfortunately, this chemical reacts with other proteins while being cooked or digested, and the result is a harmful agent called N-nitrosamines, which is a carcinogen.
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