Many commercially available foods contain a variety of ingredients. Some food labels list substances that do not seem to have a clear relationship with food. These food additives are largely used to improve the texture and shelf-life of products. Though they are typically present in small amounts, they can cause adverse reactions in susceptible people.
Food Additives Functions
Food additives are generally added to foods for one of five reasons. Some of them, such as emulsifiers and anti-caking agents, work to help maintain the consistency of the food and prevent the different ingredients from separating or clumping together. Vitamins and minerals can be considered food additives which increase the nutritional value of food. Preservatives, another type of food additive, keep bacteria and fungi from growing in food. Food additives may also be used to enhance the color or flavor of food. Finally, food additives may be used to alter the acidity of a food item, MedLinePlus explains.
Food Additive Reactions
The exact symptoms of an adverse reaction to a food additive can vary depending on a number of factors, including the amount of the additive which is consumed, how sensitive the person is to the additive and what the additive is. In many cases, adverse reactions can cause hives, headaches or digestive problems. The most severe type of problem associated with food additives is anaphylactic shock, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America notes; this can cause the throat and airway to swell shut, which can make patients unable to breathe.
Common Additives with Adverse Reactions
There are eight main food additives which can cause adverse reactions when consumed. Sulfites, which can be naturally found in jellies, jams, shrimp and some fruits used to be used to add color, but have since been banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reports. Four types of preservatives, the benzoate, paraben, nitrite and BHT family of chemicals can cause adverse reactions. Some people also react with aspartame or monosodium glutamate, two additives use to sweeten or enhance the flavor of foods. Finally, tartrazine, a dye added to some foods, can cause adverse reactions.
Diagnosis
To determine if a food additive is causing unpleasant symptoms for you, you should remove all products which contain the additive and see if your symptoms subside in a few days. A more definitive diagnosis, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America explains, requires the additive in question to be added and removed several times from your diet without you knowing when you are consuming the additive and when your diet lacks the additive, which will help prevent any psychological bias. This process can be time consuming and complicated, however, and many elect to not do this test.
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