ingredients&colors - Food and Drug Administration

1 1 Why Are food and ColorIngredients Added to food ?Additivesperformavarietyof wewerewillingtogrowourownfood,harvestand grindit,spendmanyhourscookingandcanning, oracceptincreasedrisksof , :1) To Maintain or ImproveSafety and Freshness:Preservativesslowproductspoila gecausedbymold,air,bac-teria, ,theyhelpcontrolcontaminationthatcancaus efoodborneillness, preservatives antioxidants ) To Improve or MaintainNutritional Value:Vitaminsandminerals(andfiber)aread dedtomanyfoodstomakeupforthoselackingina person sdietorlostinprocessing,ortoenhancethenu tritionalqualityof centuries, ingredients haveserved useful functions in a varietyof foods. Our ancestors used saltto preserve meats and fish, added herbsand spices to improve the flavor of foods,preserved fruit with sugar, and pickledcucumbers in a vinegar solution.

2 Today,consumers demand and enjoy a foodsupply that is flavorful, nutritious, safe,convenient, colorful and affordable. Foodadditives and advances in technology helpmake that are thousands of ingredients usedto make foods. The food and DrugAdministration (FDA) maintains a list ofover 3000 ingredients in its data base Everything Added to food in the UnitedStates , many of which we use at homeevery day ( , sugar, baking soda, salt,vanilla, yeast, spices and colors).Still, some consumers have concernsabout additives because they may seethe long, unfamiliar names and think ofthem as complex chemical fact, every food we eat whether a just-picked strawberry or a homemade cookie is made up of chemical compounds thatdetermine flavor, color , texture and nutrientvalue.

3 All food additives are carefully regu-lated by federal authorities and various inter-national organizations to ensure that foodsare safe to eat and are accurately purpose of this brochure is toprovide helpful background informationabout food and color additives:what they are, why they are usedin foods and how they areregulated for safe food Information Council (IFIC) FoundationUS food and drug Administration (FDA)foodingredients &colorsTypes of food IngredientsThe following summary lists the types of common food ingredients , why they are used,and some examples of the names that can be found on product labels. Some additives areused for more than one AdditivesFlavors and SpicesFlavor EnhancersFat Replacers(and components offormulations used to replace fats)

4 NutrientsEmulsifiersAllow smooth mixing of ingredients , prevent separation, keepemulsified products stable, reduce stickiness, control crystallization,keep ingredients dispersed, and to help products dissolve more easilySalad dressings, peanut butter, chocolate, margarine,frozen dessertsStabilizers and Thickeners,Binders, TexturizersProduce uniform texture, improve mouth-feel Frozen desserts, dairy products, cakes, pudding andgelatin mixes, dressings, jams and jellies, saucesLeavening AgentsPromote rising of baked goodsBreads and other baked goodsAnti-caking agentsKeep powdered foods free-flowing, prevent moisture absorptionSalt, baking powder, confectioner s sugarHumectantsRetain moistureShredded coconut, marshmallows, soft candies, confectionsYeast NutrientsPromote growth of yeastBreads and other baked goodsDough Strengtheners andConditionersProduce more stable doughBreads and other baked goodsFirming AgentsMaintain crispness and firmnessProcessed fruits and vegetablesEnzyme PreparationsModify proteins, polysaccharides and fatsCheese, dairy products, meatGasesServe as propellant, aerate, or create carbonationOil cooking spray, whipped cream, carbonated beveragesProvide expected texture and a creamy mouth-feel in reduced-fatfoodsReplace vitamins and minerals lost in processing (enrichment), addnutrients that may be lacking in the diet (fortification)

5 Flour, breads, cereals, rice, macaroni, margarine, salt,milk, fruit beverages, energy bars, instant breakfastdrinksBaked goods, dressings, frozen desserts, confections, cakeand dessert mixes, dairy productsAdd sweetness with or without the extra caloriesOffset color loss due to exposure to light, air, temperature extremes,moisture and storage conditions; correct natural variations in color ;enhance colors that occur naturally; provide color to colorless and fun foodsAdd specific flavors (natural and synthetic)Enhance flavors already present in foods (without providing their ownseparate flavor)Pudding and pie fillings, gelatin dessert mixes, cakemixes, salad dressings, candies, soft drinks, ice cream,BBQ sauceMany processed foodsMany processed foods, (candies, snack foods, margarine,cheese, soft drinks, jams/jellies, gelatins, pudding and piefillings)Beverages, baked goods, confections, table-top sugar,substitutes, many processed foodsPrevent food spoilage from bacteria, molds, fungi, or yeast(antimicrobials); slow or prevent changes in color , flavor, or textureand delay rancidity (antioxidants).

6 Maintain freshnessFruit sauces and jellies, beverages, baked goods, curedmeats, oils and margarines, cereals, dressings, snackfoods, fruits and vegetablesTypes of IngredientsWhat They DoExamples of Uses23) Improve Taste, Texture andAppearance:Spices,naturalandartificia lflavors,andsweetenersareaddedtoenhancet hetasteof , foods,whileotheringredientshelpmaintaint hetasteandappealof Is a food Additive?Initsbroadestsense, ,thetermrefersto anysubstancetheintendeduseof whichresultsormayreasonablybeexpectedtor esult directlyorindirectly initsbecomingacomponentorother-wiseaffec tingthecharacteristicsof anyfood. Thisdefinitionincludesanysub-stanceusedi ntheproduction,processing,treatment,pack aging,transportationorstorageof thelegaldefinition,however, lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, egg yolks, polysorbates, sorbitan monostearateGelatin, pectin, guar gum, carrageenan, xanthan gum, wheyBaking soda, monocalcium phosphate, calcium carbonateCalcium silicate, iron ammonium citrate, silicon dioxideGlycerin, sorbitolCalcium sulfate, ammonium phosphateAmmonium sulfate, azodicarbonamide, L-cysteineCalcium chloride, calcium lactateEnzymes, lactase, papain, rennet, chymosinCarbon dioxide, nitrous oxideThiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

7 , niacin, niacinamide, folate or folic acid, beta carotene,potassium iodide, iron or ferrous sulfate, alpha tocopherols, ascorbic acid, Vitamin D, amino acids(L-tryptophan, L-lysine, L-leucine, L-methionine)Monosodium glutamate (MSG), hydrolyzed soy protein, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium guanylate orinosinateOlestra, cellulose gel, carrageenan, polydextrose, modified food starch, microparticulated egg white protein,guar gum, xanthan gum, whey protein concentrateNatural flavoring, artificial flavor, and spicesFD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red Nos. 3 and 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) andNo. 6, Orange B, Citrus Red No. 2, annatto extract, beta-carotene, grape skin extract, cochineal extract orcarmine, paprika oleoresin, caramel color , fruit and vegetable juices, saffron (Note.)

8 Exempt color additives arenot required to be declared by name on labels but may be declared simply as colorings or color added)Ascorbic acid, citric acid, sodium benzoate, calcium propionate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, calciumsorbate, potassium sorbate, BHA, BHT, EDTA, tocopherols (Vitamin E)Sucrose (sugar), glucose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, saccharin,aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame-K), neotameNames Found on Product Labels3 Therefore,thisdefinitionexcludesingre-di entswhoseuseisgenerallyrecognizedassafe( wheregovern-mentapprovalisnotneeded), law, ,xan-thangum usedinsaladdressings,chocolatemilk,baker yfillings,puddingsandotherfoodstoaddtext ure thefoodintraceamountsduetoitspackaging, ,minuteamountsof (FDA) Is a ColorAdditive?

9 Acoloradditiveisanydye,pigmentorsubstanc ewhichwhenaddedorappliedtoafood,drugorco smetic,ortothehumanbody,iscapable(aloneo rthroughreactionswithothersubstances)of , :1)tooffsetcolorlossduetoexposuretolight ,air,temperatureextremes,moistureandstor ageconditions;2)tocorrectnaturalvariatio nsincolor;3)toenhancecolorsthatoccurnatu rally;and4)toprovidecolortocolorlessand fun ,colaswouldn tbebrown,margarinewouldn tbeyellowandminticecreamwouldn spermittedcolorsareclassifiedassubjectto certificationorexemptfromcertification,b othof whicharesubjecttorigoroussafetystandards priortotheirapprovalandlistingforuseinfo ods. Certifiedcolorsaresyntheticallypro-duced (orhumanmade)andusedwide-lybecausetheyim partanintense,uni-formcolor,arelessexpen sive,andblendmoreeasilytocreateavarietyo f ( ,FD& ).

10 Certifiedfoodcolorsgenerallydonotaddunde sirableflavorstofoods. Colorsthatareexemptfromcertifica-tioninc ludepigmentsderivedfromnaturalsourcessuc hasvegetables, (yellow),dehydratedbeets(bluish-redtobro wn),caramel(yellowtotan),beta-carotene(y ellowtoorange)andgrapeskinextract(red,gr een).How Are Additives Approvedfor Use in Foods?Today,foodandcoloradditivesaremore strictlystudied, (orbeforeusinganadditivealreadyapprovedf oroneuseinanothermannernotyetapproved), a1997statutorychange, asubstanceandwhetheritshouldbeapproved,F DAconsiders:1)thecompositionandpropertie sof thesubstance,2)theamountthatwouldtypical lybeconsumed,3)immediateandlong-termheal theffects,and4) usethatincludesabuilt-insafetymargin ,thelevelsof inherentlimitationsof science,FDAcanneverbeabsolutelycertainof theabsenceof anyriskfromtheuseof ,FDAmustdetermine basedonthebestscienceavailable if anadditiveisapproved,FDAissuesregulation sthatmayincludethetypesoffoodsinwhichitc anbeused,themaxi-mumamountstobeused, , consumptionofthenewadditiveandresultsof newevidencesuggeststhataprod-uctalreadyi nusemaybeunsafe,orifconsumptionlevelshav echangedenoughtorequireanotherlook,feder alauthori-tiesmayprohibititsuseorconduct fur-therstudiestodetermineif (GMP)