Ever wondered what those
unpronounceable additives and
preservatives mean on the food
labels?
By Erika Szabo ND www.try-alternative-healing.com
I had an idea of what some of the additives and preservatives were used for but most remained a
mystery to me. I did my research and made a list of them.
Acacia (Arabic gum): natural gum thickener used to block sugar crystallization in candies and
confections. Also used as a foam stabilizer in the soft drinks and brewing industries.
Acetic acid (vinegar): adds a sharp taste to foods and a preservative in pickles and marinated fruits and
vegetables as well.
Adipic acid: adds tartness to baked goods, dairy products, meat products, oils,margarine, relishes,
snack foods, soft drinks, and gelatin desserts as well as prevents spoilage.
Agar: seaweed derivative used as a thickener.
Albumin: an emulsifier derived from egg whites.
Alcohol (ethanol): solvent, commonly used with flavoring extracts.
Alginates: a seaweed derivative used as stabilizer and water retainer in beverages, ice creams, salad
dressings, and confections.
Artificial colors: accepted colors for food use are Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6,
Red No. 3, and Red No. 40.
Artificial flavors: usually an organic organic compound added to enhance food flavor.
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C): preservative and antioxidant in fruits, jellies, preserves, processed meat
products, and dairy products.
Aspartame (NutraSweet): artificial sweetener. Aspartame is 160 times as sweet as normal table
sugar (sucrose).
Beeswax: used from candy glaze to polish
Benzoic acid: preservative.
Beta carotene (Vitamin A): used for yellow coloring.
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole): preservative and antioxidant.
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene): preservative and antioxidant.
Caffeine: flavor in coffee, cola-flavored soft drinks, and root beer beverages.
Calcium carbonate: used as a white food color. Controls acidity.
Calcium citrate: is a buffer, it controls acidity in foods.
Calcium disodium EDTA: preservative and an impound. Prevents crystal formation, color loss, and
used for flavor retention in canned and carbonated soft drinks.
Calcium phosphate: a mineral supplement. Prevents foods from picking up metal flavors.
Calcium propionate: preservative, prevents mold.
Calcium silicate: anti-caking compound.
Calcium sulfate: dough conditioner. Controls pH.
Caramel color: used as coloring in beer and soft drinks.
Carbon black: used as black coloring in confections.
Carnauba wax: used as candy glaze.
Carrageenan: a stabilizer and emulsifier.
Casein: protein from cow’s milk. Adds texture to ice cream products.
Cellulose gum: a thickener.
Citric acid: preservative, adjusts acid in fruit juices and products. Used to give sour flavor to candies.
Cornstarch: thickener, also used as a powdering agent to prevent sticking.
Corn syrup (dextrose): sweetener.
Cyclamates (sodium and potassium cyclamate): artificial sweetener.
Dextrin: a gum produced from starch used as a foam stabilizer for beer and to prevent sugar from
crystallizing in candy.
Dextrose: sweetener. Has a sweetness rating of 74 compared to sucrose at 100.
Disodium phosphate: controls acidity. used in evaporated milk and noodle products.
EDTA (ethylenediammine tetraacetic acid, disodium salt): preservative.
FD&C colors: food colors regulated by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
FD&C flakes: color pigments prepared by combining FD&C colors with aluminum or calcium which
make the colors insoluble. Used in confections, candies, and foods which could be affected by water.
Ferric chloride (iron(III) chloride): nutrient, a good source of iron. May bestow a yellow color.
Ferric citrate (iron(III) citrate): source of iron.
Ferric phosphate(iron(III) phosphate): nutrient. Source of iron as well.
Folic acid (vitamin B3): nutrient, aids in red blood cell formation.
Fructose: a sweetener, fruit sugar. Sweetness rating of 173 compared to sucrose at 100.
Fumaric acid: a dry acid for powdered desserts such as gelatin.
Gelatin: a protein thickener and stabilizer obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, or bones in
water.
Gellan gum: a stabilizer.
Glucose: sweetener. Sweetness rating of 74 compared to sucrose at 100.
Glycerin (glycerol): used as a humectant in jellies, gelatin desserts, beverages, and chewing gum.
Sweetness rating of 60 compared to sucrose at 100.
Glyceryl monostearate: an emulsifying and dispersing agent used in margarine, shortenings and other
food products.
Guar gum: a stabilizer used in frozen fruit, ice cream, icings, glazes, and fruit drinks. Also used as a
thickener for hot and cold drinks, and salad dressings.
Gum tragacanth: a thickener and stabilizer for fruit jelly, sherbets, salad dressing, confections, and
candy.
High fructose corn syrup: sweetener. Corn syrup treated with enzymes to make it sweeter.
Hydrogenated oil: oil that has been partially converted from naturally polyunsaturated to saturated.
Makes liquid oils partially solidified.
Invert sugar: a mixture of 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Sweetness rating of 130 compared to sucrose
at 100.
Iodine: a nutrient. Usually added as potassium iodide or cuprous iodide to foods and salt. Essential for
thyroid hormones.
Iron: mineral nutrient. May be used as powdered iron or an iron salt.
Kaolin: clay, used as an anticaking agent in food.
Lactic acid: acidulant in many foods including cheese products, butter, fruit jelly, and breads. Also a
preservative.
Lactose: milk sugar, a sweetener and nutrient. Sweetness rating of 16 compared to sucrose at 100.
Lecithin: an emulsifier.
Magnesium carbonate: alkali agent for sour cream, butter, ice cream, cacao products, and canned
peas.
Magnesium phosphate: good source of magnesium.
Magnesium sulfate: nutrient. Source of magnesium.
Magnesium silicate: an anticaking agent.
Malic acid: has strong sour taste. Used in candies, frozen dairy products, fruits, jellies band jams.
Maltodextrin: sugar obtained by hydrolysis of starch. Stabilizer and flavor enhancer in candies and
chocolate.
Maltose: malt sugar, a nutrient, sweetener, and stabilizer. Sweetness rating of 32 compared to sucrose at
100.
Mannitol: a sweetener made from seaweed. Used as a dusting and as an agent to prevent sticking in
food products. This makes the powder on chewing gum.
Mono- and diglygerides: fats and oils used as emulsifiers.
Monosodium glutamate, MSG: flavor enhancer.
Monopotassium phosphate: an emulsifier and a pH buffer.
Niacin: ccomponent of the vitamin B complex.
Oleic acid: a synthetic butter and cheese flavoring and in various foods.
Olestra Sucrose: fat substitute that has no calories and cannot be digested.
Partially hydrogenated oils: oils that has been partially converted from naturally polyunsaturated to
saturated. Makes liquid oils partially solidified for improved baking.
Pectin: a stabilizer, thickener agent for artificially sweetened beverages, syrups, ice cream products,
fruit sherbets, fruit jellies and jams.
Phosphoric acid: adds flavor to soft drinks, jellies, and frozen dairy products.
Polysorbate 60: an emulsifier. A condensate of sorbitol with stearic acid. Waxy when solid.
Polysorbate 80: an emulsifier and humectant. A condensate of sorbitol with oleic acid. A thick oil.
Potassium acid tartrate: acid and buffer. Acid constituent of some baking powders.
Potassium bromate: an improving agent in bread.
Potassium chloride: is a salt substitute. Source of potassium.
Potassium citrate: a buffer to controls pH.
Potassium nitrate: a preservative. Used for color retention in cured meats.
Potassium nitrite: also a preservative. Used for color retention in cured meats.
Potassium sorbate: Preservative and a mold and yeast inhibitor.
Propionic acid: used in butter and fruit flavorings as a preservative.
Propyl gallate: an antioxidant for fats and oils.
Saccharin: an artificial sweetener. 500 times sweeter than sucrose.
Silicates: are anticaking agents.
Sodium benzoate: a preservative in margarine, soft drinks, and fruit products.
Sodium caseinate: emulsifier and stabilizer in frozen desserts.
Sodium citrate: buffer to control pH and emulsifier.
Sodium nitrate: preservative, used for color retention in cured meats.
Sodium nitrite: preservative, also used for color retention in cured meats.
Sodium phosphate: prevents metallic flavor in foods.
Sodium polyphosphate: prevents metallic flavors.
Sodium proprionate: preservative to prevent mold and fungus growth.
Sodium sulfite: preservative, used to preserve color in dried fruit.
Sodium tripolyphosphate: a texturizer.
Sodium stearoyl-2-lactate: strengthens bread dough.
Sorbitol: a sweetener, a sugar substitute for diabetics. Thickener and prevents picking up moisture in
candies, shredded coconut, and dietetic fruits and soft drinks.
Sucrose: table sugar. Cane sugar.
Sulfur dioxide: a preservative. Used to preserve color in dried fruit.
Xanthan gum: emulsifier and stabilizer for water based foods such as dairy products and salad
dressings.
