Principais funções dos aditivos alimentares.
Na indústria de alimentos, para que uma substância seja admitida como aditivo e seja utilizada, ela deve superar os controles toxicológicos, ser quimicamente caracterizada e demonstrar que seu uso fornece benefícios ao consumidor e, ou benefícios tecnológicos.
- Garanta a segurança e comestibilidade dos alimentos.
- Preserve ou aumente o valor nutritivo dos ingredientes.
- Aumente a estabilidade ou melhore as propriedades organolépticas.
- Prolongar a vida útil dos alimentos e contribuir para a sua conservação.
- Possibilitar a disponibilidade de alimentos fora de época.
- Facilitar os processos de fabricação dos produtos.
- Fornecer alimentos para grupos de consumidores com necessidades alimentares específicas.
Classificação de aditivos alimentares
A seguinte classificação de aditivos é baseada em critérios de suas funções tecnológicas. No entanto, é necessário enfatizar que existem outras classificações baseadas na origem (natural ou sintética) ou no tipo de aditivo.
1) Stabilizers of physical characteristics
– Emulsifiers: Substances that allow the maintenance or formation of a homogeneous mixture of two or more non-miscible phases. For example, water and oil.
– Thickeners: macromolecules that preserve the textures of foods such as viscosity or gelling effect. For example, adding E-406 (agar-agar) to a jam preserves for its texture.
– Anti-caking agents: substance that prevents the formation of clumps or lumps that affect product homogeneity. They are usually used in soups, sauces, juices or dairy products.
– Acidity correctors: substances that control or alter the pH of food. Inadequate control can lead to the proliferation of undesirable bacteria in the food which could suppose a health risk.
2) Inhibitors of chemical and biological alterations
– Antioxidants: they are additives that are added mainly in fatty ingredients to delay or prevent the rancidity of foods due to the oxidation. There are two types of antioxidants on the market: natural and synthetic.
– Conservatives: substances that when added protect food against deterioration caused by unwanted microorganisms. They are often used in food containing water, such as bakery, pastries, dairy, beverages or meat products.
3) Modifiers of organoleptic characters
– Colouring agents: substances used to modify or stabilise the colouring characteristics of a food. Colour in food is an aspect that is associated with the quality of food and is related to taste and smell. The use of dyes in food goes back to ancient civilizations; the use of saffron or cochineal for colouring have a long tradition which continues to today.
– Flavour enhancers: substances that enhance the taste and / or aroma of a food without giving its own flavour. They are widely used in sauces and soups. Monosodium glutamate is one of the most used in processed foods.
– Sweeteners: These additives are used to provide sweet taste or to mimic flavours. Its aim is that the flavour is the most similar to the common sugar and resist similar treatments in which sugar is used. They are very important in products for diabetics or low calorie products.
– Aromatic substances are substances that provide a new aroma and / or correct the aroma of food and beverages. It is possible to obtain them from extracts of vegetable origin.
4) Improvers and correctors
They are additives that are used in baking, wine making, or to regulate the maturation of dairy products, such as cheese or meat products.
As mentioned above, there are natural and synthetic additives that are titrated according to the ADI (acceptable daily intake) and based on available toxicological data. Each additive has a maximum dietary level without demonstrable toxic effects and public administrations rely on the ADI when legislating and establishing authorized quantities for the use of the additives.
The use of food additives seeks to improve the products that food manufacturers offer to consumers. However, in many cases the consumer has a poor perception about the additives, especially of the synthetic or artificial ones. Some believe that the food industry uses additives to mask poor quality and to lower costs, but the truth is that the use of additives allows people to eat healthy, tasty and safe food.
Although there is still a great deal of ignorance on the subject in the general population, the market trend is towards the consumption of good quality food, using natural additives, easily prepared and preserved, and without harmful effects on health.
The classification of food additives allows to synthesise and understand what type of additives the manufacturer needs for each type of product. In addition, the regulations concerning additives require that all food additives used in the product should appear on food labels. In Europe, the E-number system is used, although labelling using the full name of the additive, Tocopherols for example, a natural antioxidant used in the food industry can be labelled using its E-306 number or as “Rich Extract in Tocopherols”.
Os principais órgãos responsáveis pela regulação de aditivos são o Comitê Científico de Alimentos (SCF) em nível europeu e o Comitê de especialistas em aditivos alimentares (JECFA) da FAO / OMS em nível internacional. É importante revisar periodicamente as fontes oficiais para manter-se atualizado sobre os últimos desenvolvimentos e mudanças em relação aos aditivos e ao setor de alimentos em geral.
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