Preservatives: Helps maintain freshness and prevents spoilage that is caused by fungi, yeast, mold and bacteria. Extends shelf life and protects the natural colours or flavours.
Over one billion pounds of chemical additives are consumed every year. Your liver is in charge of detoxifying this garbage. The liver is the major organ that has the job of breaking down and disposing of all this material. In most cases it required a number of nutrients to break them down, hopefully they will be available.
Methylene Chloride: A gas used in the decaffeination of coffee. Residues may remain and coffee companies do not have to tell you their method of decaffeination on the label. Only drink decaf if you know the method used by the manufacturer. Water is the best method.
Nitrites: One of the most dangerous additives used in our foods are the nitrites and nitrates. They are found in almost all processed meats such as luncheon meats, bacon, sausages, hot dogs, smoked fish and canned meats.The chemical is used mainly for cosmetic purposes, to stabilize the color of the product. The industry also claims it is needed to retard bacterial growth and also reduces the possibility of botulism. Because of the risks involved with this chemical, the general consensus among scientist is that companies should be researching a new and safer chemical compound instead of taking the easier ans less expensive way out. High levels of nitrites in food have caused cardiovascular collapse in humans and even deaths from eating hot dogs and blood sausages that were produced by local processors in different areas of the U.S.
The biochemical changes that occur in the food take the following course: Nitrites are broken down into nitrous acid which combines with the hemoglobin of the meat or fish, forming a permanent red color. In humans, there are two pathways that the ingested nitrites may take that could be harmful: Nitrite is eaten and may react with the hemoglobin of the blood to produce a pigment called meth-hemoglobin which may seriously depress the oxygen carrying capacity of the red blood cell. The possible cancer connection is when nitrites are biochemically altered to a substance called nitrosamine. This reaction usually occurs in the stomach and requires the presence of amines and gastric juices. Amines are usually in adequate supply, since they are a product of protein metabolism, and protein foods often carry the nitrites. The end results are the formulation of the nitrosamines, which are classified as carcinogen (cancer forming agents).
Sulfites: Three types may be used as an antibrowning agent. Sodium potassium and ammonium can be used on any food except meats or high vitamin B content food. Used on salad bars to prevent fruits and lettuces from browning. Also used to enhance their crispness. Physiologic reaction to sulfites are numerous with the most common taking form of acute asthmatic attack. Recommended to avoid any food that has been treated with sulfites.
Sulphur Dioxide: A chemical formed from the burning of sulphur. A food bleach, preservative, anti-oxidant and anti-browning agent. It's most common visibility is in golden raisins. Tends to destroy Vitamin A and should not be used on meats or high Vitamin A content vegetables.
Preservatives
Preservatives are a type of additive used to stop food from spoiling.
Nitrates and nitrites are used to preserve meats such as ham and bacon, but are known to cause asthma, nausea, vomiting and headaches in some people. In addition to allergic reactions, the same is true for sulfites (sulfur dioxide, metabisulfites and others), which are commonly used to prevent fungal spoilage, as well as the browning of peeled fruits and vegetables.
Sodium nitrite in some foods is capable of being converted to nitrous acid when ingested by humans. While animal testing showed that nitrous acid caused high rates of cancer, it is still in use.
Benzoic acid aka sodium benzoate is added to margarine, fruit juices, and carbonated beverages. It can produce several allergic reactions and even death in some people.
Sulfur dioxide is toxin used in dried fruits and molasses as well as to prevent brown spots on peeled fresh foods such as potatoes and apples. Sulfur dioxide bleaches out rot, hiding inferior fruits and vegetables. In the process, it destroys the vitamin B contained in produce.
What about the fishes we eat?
The New Straits Times, 25 November 1996
Formaldehyde can cause leukaemia, nasopharygeal, brain, lung and colon cancer, skin and eye irritation, kidney problems, breathing difficulties and pulmonary edema. The substance is known to be used by some fishmongers to preserve the freshness and firmness of fish.
Malachite green adulteration in seafood exports (Bio-Medicine.org)
Seafood industry of Asian countries is in the threat of ban on their export of seafood to Canada as a recent report of imported seafood from Asian countries has the banned chemical Malachite green in the fish tissue.
Malachite green: Malachite green is a inexpensive and effective preservative which is used by fisherman for preservation of aquaculture products from contamination of fungus growth during storage and travel. Leucomalachite is the product of malachite green which persists in fish tissues for long periods. In 1992, the Canadian Government found that Malachite Green may cause cancer in the consumers and ordered that seafood should not contain malachite green and even a very minimum quantity of malachite green in fish was considered as adultered food. Treating with carbon monoxide gas or tasteless smoke is another method used to prevent fish from discolouring, especially fish with pink flesh such as tuna and salmon which are popularly used in sushi.
The natural pink is a good indicator of freshness. Fish turns unappetising brown when it is stale.
Fish treated with carbon monoxide is bright red when first defrosted. It fades within a couple of days to a pink but it will not turn brown. Carbon monoxide treatment gives a red colour to the fish but it does not guarantee freshness. Even if the fish has not been kept at temperature low enough to maintain freshness, the fish would still look good enough to eat when in actual fact, it may have started to deteriorate. Another concern is product adulteration that involves use of different types of cheaper white fish which are coloured and sold at a higher price.
Some people develop allergic reactions after eating fish, thought this does not happen every time. Seafood must be kept chilled or frozen to maintain freshness, otherwise a substance known as histamine builds up in the seafood. Not everybody reacts to histamine. People who react to histamine may develop itching on the lips, flushes, nausea, vomiting and hives or in severe cases, difficulty in breathing. The symptoms can develop immediately or later after eating stale seafood.
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