Food Additives: Food Preservatives, Colours, Bleaches, Flavours, Emulsifiers, Stabilisers

Additives are used in food to keep it lasting longer and to make it taste, look and smell like something that it is not. They enable food to sit on a supermarket shelf, or in our cupboards, for several months without going bad - and then we eat it. It has been estimated that we consume about 5 kilograms of food additives as preservatives, colours, bleaches, flavours, emulsifiers and stabilisers every year in the food we eat. This not only results in extra work for our body to remove them, but frequently trigger asthma attacks; rashes; respiratory disturbances; hyperactivity in children, and in some people, an abnormal sensitivity to prescribed medications, particularly aspirin. Below are some common additives found in refined foods, and well-worth avoiding by those susceptible to their effects.
Number	Food Additive Name	Often used in	Common reactions
102	tartrazine (colour)	drinks, cakes, snacks, ice-cream, confectionery	asthma; hyperactivity; aspirin sensitivity
110	sunset yellow (colour)	drinks, packet soups, dessert, biscuits, confectionery, ice-cream	hyperactivity; allergies; aspirin sensitivity
120	cochineal (colour)	cakes, confectionery, ice-cream	hyperactivity
122	azorubine (colour)	packet soups, sauces, jams, desserts (jellies)	asthma; hyperactivity; asprin sensitivity
132	indigotine (colour)	tablets, capsules, icecream, biscuits	nausea; skin rashes; allergies; high blood pressure
133	brilliant blue (colour)	tinned peas, bacon-flavoured snacks	hyperactivity
150	caramel (colour)	drinks, sauces, soups, cakes, pickles, vinegar	hyperactivity
172	iron oxides (colour)	tinned fish, fish pastes	toxic in high doses
210	benzoic acid (preservative)	confectionery, cheeses, baked goods	asthma; hyperactivity; reacts with 222
220	sulphur dioxide (preservative)	beer, wine, soft drinks, dried fruit, cordials	asthma; hyperactivity
222	sodium bisulphite (preservative)	wine, beer, soft drinks, juices, cordials	asthma; destroys vitamin B1; hyperactivity
250	sodium nitrite (preservative)	cured meats, some cheeses	hyperactivity; adverse reactions in children; potentially carcinogenic
310	propyl gallate (antioxidant)	oils, margarine, salad dressings	gastric and skin irritant
319	tert-butyl hydroquinone (antioxidant)	fats, oils, margarine,packet chips	nausea; delirium
320	Butylated hydroxyanisole (antioxidant)	fried snacks, soft drinks, edible oils, margarine, chewing gum	hyperactivity; asthma; adverse reactions; allergies; increases cholesterol levels
407	carageenan (thickener) (emulsifier)	ice-cream, jellies, cake decorations, cheese, salad dressings	allergies; intolerances
421	mannitol (emulsifier)	icecream, confectionery, low calorie foods	allergies; diarrhoea, nausea
621	monosodium glutamate (MSG) (flavour enhancer)	prepacked meals, snacks, Chinese cooking	hyperactivity; asthma; adverse reactions; allergies; aspirin sensitivity
635	disodium 5' ribonucleotide (flavour enhancer)	flavoured crisps, instant noodles, party pies	skin rashes; not easily broken down by body
951	aspartame (sweetener)	diet drinks, diabetic confectionery, icecream	allergies; headaches; nervous disorders