The Purpose Of Food Preservatives

Food manufacturers use preservatives to prevent spoilage of the product during transportation and shelf life. Boiling, freezing, refrigeration, dehydration, pickling, pasteurization, vacuum and hypobaric packing are common ways manufacturers use to prevent spoilage. Manufacturers also add chemical preservatives to many foods, such as salt or BHA. Despite the benefits, preservatives can increase your risk of certain conditions, such as asthma and high blood pressure. Consult your doctor about your consumption of food preservatives.

Appearance

Fresh, natural looking food products sell, which is why manufacturers uses preservatives to enhance the appearance of certain foods. Manufacturers use nitrites and nitrates on meats and processed meats to give products a vivid pink or red color and prevent them from turning brown. During the curing process, nitrite is converted to nitric oxide which combines with myoglobin, an oxygen binding protein molecule in the muscle of animals, to create a pinkish red color. When you ingest nitrites or nitrates, these substances produce nitrosamines, substances that can cause cancer. Research by scientists at the National Institute of Environmental Medicine in Stockholm, Sweden, and published in the "International Journal of Cancer" in 2006, discovered that high consumption of processed meat may increase the risk of stomach cancer.

Shelf Life

Food preservatives extend the shelf life a product. Food manufacturers use many types of preservatives to increase shelf life by enhancing freshness and inhibiting the growth of bacteria and mold. These preservatives include chemical preservatives, such as sulfites, sorbates and antioxidants and antimicrobials, such as sodium benzoate. Manufacturers use sulfites to preserve wine, fresh and frozen shrimp, pickles and other foods, and use benzoates in salad dressings, ketchup and soft drinks. However, sulfites can trigger asthma symptoms and benzoates may cause asthma, allergies and brain damage.

Natural Characteristics

Manufacturers use preservatives to enhance and extend the natural characteristics of the food product. Natural food preservatives, such as salt, sugar, vinegar and alcohol, are natural preservatives that reduce the growth of bacteria. Yet these preservatives can also increase your health risks. Sodium may increase your blood pressure. Sugar may increase your weight. Alcohol can increase your risk of liver disease.

Food-borne Illness

By inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, preservatives also prevent an epidemic of food-borne illnesses. Bacteria, such as Salmonella, can increase the risk of food-borne illness and in some cases death. Research by scientists at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and published in "Nutrition Reviews" in 2010, reports that food-borne illnesses from Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Shigella, Campylobacter, Shiga toxin and Escherichia coli are a public health threat that afflicts tens of millions of Americans and costs tens of billions of dollars each year in the United States.