Understanding Food Additives Thank you Bernard

[Guest guest]

Thank you Bernard for this post of valuable information. Sending you a warm

welcome into our group and thank you for your compliments.

Let us know if you have any questions or a recipe request. There's sure to be

someone here with the answer or we will try hard to get it for you.

Cheers,

Donna

 

Bernard <ybelias wrote:

Hi All, I've recently joined this interesting group and would like to say

hello to everyone and congratulate the owners and moderators for a job well

done. Donna, specifically thought I should post this article on your site which

I had recently posted on an Australian Vegetarian discussion groupsite where i

am currently a moderator for. I'm hoping the information provided would be your

first line of defence, empowering all fellow vegetarians to make better informed

consumer choices when selecting vegetarian products and foodstuff. So, here's

the article from...

http://au.TheVeggieClub/

I thought we should touch upon this subject since many vegetarians are

unfamiliar with exactly what all those mysterious numbers on food labels mean.

This basic compiled list will help unravel the maze of Food Additives for

Vegetarians, although please be reminded that it is not a comprehensive list.

COLOURINGS (100-180)

The above number ranges are used to make foods look appetising and

compensate for the loss of colour in processing. PRESERVATIVES (200-321)

These are used to prevent food spoilage and ensure that safe,

palatable food is available all year round. EMULSIFIERS, FOOD ACIDS, MINERAL

SALTS & STABILISERS (322-495)

Emulsifiers are used to enable oils and fats to mix with water and prevent them

from seperating again.

Food Acids include citric acid occuring naturally in citrus fruits.

Mineral Salts are compounds made from acids and minerals.

Stabilisers are a complex chemical mixture with roles including preventing oil

and water in frozen desserts separating and keeping bread and doughnuts moist.

FLAVOUR ENHANCERS (620-640)

Commonly found in plant and animal tissues and widely used in

savoury foods to make flavours seem stronger. Monosodium Glutamate

or MSG is perhaps the best known. SWEETENERS (950-967)

Used commonly in low-sugar and low-joule acid foods and cold drinks.

WHAT TO AVOID IF YOU'RE A VEGGIE

Vegetarians should avoid the following numbers at all times

120 - Cochineal, derived from insects

542 - edible bone phospate, an anti-caking agent Additionally, the following

additives may or may not be suitable for

vegetarians and the only way to be on the safe side is to contact

manufacturers directly since they are not bound by law to specify

which version they have used. The numbers to look-out for are,

153, 161(g), 252, 270, 322, 325, 326, 327, 422, 433, 435, 436, 471,

472(a), 472(b), 472©, 472(d), 472(e), 473, 475, 476, 477, 481,

482, 491, 492, 570, 572, 631, 904, 920. In particular, look out for 904, a

shellac glazing agent used to wax

apples, which may be derived from insects. Emulsifiers 471-475 and

481-495 may be derived from either animal or vegetable fats.

Lecithin (322), may occasionally be derived from non-free range eggs. Vegans

should avoid milk-derived additives such as 270, 325-327 and

472(b) as dairy products can show up in surprising places such as

chilli sauce, curry mixes, noodles, pickled onions, snacks and

lollies. Whey and emulsifiers are found in chocolate and whey is

usually used as a flavour carrier in chips. I hope you find this information

useful.For more intresting articles like these, click on the group's homepage

link above. Thanks...