Do you know what you eat, or the E list in food

On the shelves of grocery stores, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find products that do not contain E-type food additives . For many people, they are synonymous with substances harmful to health. However, this is not always true. The list of food additives is constantly changing and getting longer. It doesn't make it any easier to judge. What should you know about E ingredients to consciously read product labels?

What is the list of chemical food additives ?

The list of type E food additives contains substances used in the food industry that have been recognized as safe by the European Food Safety Authority. It is an annex to the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives other than colors and sweeteners. The letter "E" in the name of the ingredients comes from the word "Europa".

The list of substances E should only include food additives that do not affect the human body. However, some of them are highly controversial.

According to European regulations, a new ingredient E can be added to the list if:

• there is a technologically justified need to use it (e.g. ensuring the right consistency or color of the product);
• it is not intended to mislead consumers;
• it has been proven that its use will not be risky to the health of the consumer.

Surely you have seen more than once food products whose labels bear "E-free" declarations. They are usually more expensive than competing products. Don't be fooled by appearances. Many nutritional supplements are substances of natural origin. They are 100% safe for health, for example vitamin C or lycopene. In some European countries, there is even an obligation to add them to food.

What are E-type food additives actually used for?

No one is surprised today that the dairy products or sweets sold in stores always taste the same. It seems completely natural. The products we choose still have the same consistency and smell. They can also lie in cupboards for months.

The growing needs of consumers and competition force companies producing food to use newer and more specialized methods of production. By adding substances from the E list to food, it is possible to ensure repeatability of production and provide food that meets our preferences.

What will you find on the E-list ?

The list of food additives includes several hundred items, among which you will find both ingredients of natural origin and those produced in laboratory conditions. In order to systematize the division, the European legislator divided the E components into many groups, depending on their use.

Among all food additives you will find, among others:

• dyes (numbers from 100 to 199),
• preservatives (numbers from 200 to 299),
• antioxidants and acidity regulators (numbers from 300 to 399),
• emulsifiers , raising agents, gelling agents (numbers from 400 to 499),
• pH regulators and anti-caking agents (numbers from 500 to 599),
• flavor enhancers (numbers 600 to 699),
• antibiotics (numbers from 700 to 799, currently there are only 17),
• sweeteners, foaming agents (numbers from 900 to 999),
• others that do not fall into any of the above categories (numbers 1,100 and above).

Interestingly, despite the large size, there are no natural-identical flavors on the E-list . According to the directive, manufacturers are not obliged to specify them in the composition if the concentration of the substance is less than 1% of the unit weight of the product (e.g. packaging or carton).

Polish law also determines the available amount of E ingredients in food. Detailed regulations in this regard were included in the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 22 November 2010 on permitted additives and the amending regulation of 22 April 2011.

Remember that the list of E additives is constantly changing as the food industry develops. Continuous scientific research may also prove over time that a given substance is harmful to the human body (or lack thereof), which also leads to a modification of the list of permitted food additives.

Is the list of harmful E's a myth?

You may have heard the saying that all food additives are harmful and best avoided. Although this is a far-reaching exaggeration and many, often unjustified, myths have accumulated around the list of chemical food additives , it is hard to deny that many ingredients evoke extreme emotions. Which ingredients are particularly infamous as potentially carcinogenic?

• Brilliant black (E151) - a type of synthetic dye used in the production of yoghurts, sauces, caviar and "powder" products (mainly cakes);
• nitrites (E249-E252) - used primarily for curing meats and sausages, but also for the production of processed and rennet cheeses. Smoking or frying meat prepared in this way is particularly harmful, because nitrites react with protein molecules, producing harmful nitrosamines;
• saccharin and its derivatives – used as a sweetener.

Remember that occasional consumption of E ingredients in food does not have to end badly. The human body has great regenerative capabilities. Paracelsus when he said that " Everything is poison and nothing is poison " was right. It all depends on the frequency and regularity of taking harmful substances.

If you run a company that produces food or you just like spending time in the kitchen, try to choose only healthy and tested E-type food additives . Our warehouse offers only the highest quality substances used in the food industry from reputable manufacturers.

Using proven food additives, you can eat healthy and tasty. This is not excluded!