CHEMICALS IN FOOD
1. Saccharin (Saccharin)
Saccharin is
an artificial sweetener of the sodium salt of saccharin acid in the form of
white crystalline powder, odorless and very sweet. This artificial sweetener
has a sweetness level of 550 times the regular sugar. It is therefore very
popularly used as a sugar substitute.
There can be no
doubt that most people who consider "sweet" are a favored taste, even
by some animals "sweet" is a flavor that has its own appeal.
Furthermore, the attraction to the sweet thing will continue to increase, as
the general expression "sweeter, more interesting". Even this
tendency for a child even an adult can be an addiction, meaning that the desire
for sweet food will continue to grow, if not our own that limit it. This is
especially since infants, the first known additives have been given sweetening.
So far, the main
sweetener used by humans is "sugar", then it develops into
ingredients other than sugar. With this sweetener many people use it as a gift
for children for a particular achievement or as an expression of love. This is
further exploited by the industrialists who are especially engaged in the field
of sugary foods (convectionery), such as candy, chocolate, drinks, pastries and
so forth. They link the terms of advertising (promotion) between
"sweetness" with love, luck, understanding, ease and various
attractions that cause us more captivated by these high-sugar products.
Examples of experiments;
Mice fed 5% saccharin for more
than 2 years, indicating bladder mucosal cancer (the dose is roughly equivalent
to 175 grams of saccharin a day for lifelong adults).
Although the results of this
study are controversial, most epidemiologists and researchers believe saccharin
indeed increases the incidence of bladder cancer in humans by approximately 60%
higher in users, especially in men.
2. Cyclamate (Cyclamate)
Cyclamate is a white
crystalline powder, odorless and approximately 30 times more mains than sugar
cane (with a cyclamate content of about 0.17%). When the solution level is
raised up to 0.5%, it will feel bitter and bitter.
Cyclamates of 200 mg per ml in
biochemical medium of human leucocyte and monolayer cells (in vitro) can result
in the chromosomes of these cells rupturing. But experimental animals given
sikiamat in the long run do not show double growth. In the UK the use of
cyclamate for food and drink has been banned, as well as in some European
countries and the United States.
3. Nitrosamines
Nitrosamine is a colorless or
slightly yellow crystalline material. These compounds are powders, granules or
chunks and odorless. Carcinogenic (cancer-causing) that is often found in foods
that are preserved using nitrite. Nitrite is widely used to preserve foods
(such as fish, meat & cheese), but it also retains the original color of
the meat and provides a distinctive aroma such as; Sausage, cheese, corned
beef, jerky, ham, and others.
If nitrite is
supplemented with salt and acid, then its ability to preserve food will
increase. Therefore, the use of nitrites is limited to 150 mg / kg of meat.
Nitrosamines are very dangerous because they are formed by nitrites that react
with secondary amino compounds with high temperatures occurring while frying
such processed meats
4. Synthetic Dyes
Food coloring agents are used
to change the original color of a food or drink, as well as drugs. In addition,
because of its safety, this dyestuff is also used in various types of non-food
applications, such as household crafts or educational toys.
Certain colors are
associated with one's perception of taste. Usually food or beverages that
smelled strawberry for example, then the manufacturer will give a red dye. So
even for other tastes, like green for apple or melon flavor, yellow for
pineapple or orange flavor, and chocolate for caramel.
Dyestuffs are also used to
reduce color variations that occur in certain commodities that naturally
experience color changes due to season, processing, and storage. Examples of
these commodities include florida oranges and salmon.
In general, the purpose of
adding dyes to a food / beverage is to meet the following purposes:
1. Identify the food / drink
2. Protect certain flavors and vitamins from light damage
3. Protecting commodities from fading colors due to light, or extreme
temperatures.
4. Covers natural color variations
5. Strengthening
the natural colors of commodities
The
dye is divided into synthetic and natural dyes. Synthetic
colors include FD & C Blue No.1 (or brilliant blue FCF or E133), FD & C
Red No.40 (or allura red AC or E129), FD & C Yellow No.5 (or tartrazine or
E102), FD & C Blue No.2 ( Or
indigotine or E132), FD & C Green No.3 (or fast green FCF or E143), FD
& C Red No.3 (or erythrosine or E127), and FD & C Yellow No.6 (or
sunset yellow FCF or E110). The
dye is called the primary dye, while the mixture of the dyestuffs is called
secondary color.
From
the observations in the markets found 5 most popular synthetic dyes in
Indonesia are;
1) red
2) yellow
3) orange
4) green and
5)
chocolate
Two
of the five dyes, namely red and yellow are Rhodamine-B and methanyl yellow. These
dyes include industrial dyes for coloring paper, textiles, paints, leather etc.
And not for
food and drink.
Examples of research; Rats and mice
are given dye through food. The
result of the above experiments is that both animals have a lifoma.
In
addition to the above-mentioned, there are also natural dyes, for example
caramel color (from caramelized sugar, used for cola drinks and cosmetics),
annatto (reddish yellow dye derived from Achiote seeds), green dye from
chlorella algae, cochineal (Red
dye from Dactylopius coccus insects), turmeric, paprika, and elderberry.
The
FD & C symbol means that the FDA (the Food and Drug Administration) has
approved the use of the corresponding dyestuffs in foods, medicines, and
cosmetics. While
the symbol E, as in the dye E143, means that the dye has been approved for use
in the EU region.
Natural dyes are safer to
use. Therefore
its use is highly recommended.
Synthetic
/ artificial colors have a relatively harmful effect, especially in children. This
can be proved by research in the United States which shows that there is an
increase in the academic value of students and the decline of disciplinary
problems after synthetic foodstuffs, including synthetic dyes, are removed from
their diet.
5.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Monosodium
glutamate (MSG) or vetsin is a seasoning dish and is very popular among
housewives, rice stalls and restaurants. Almost
every type of food today from snacks to kids like chiki and the like, noodles
meatballs, chinese cuisine to traditional foods sour vegetables, lodeh and even
some dishes have been spiked MSG or MSG.
Some
reports suggest that people who eat at Chinese restaurants, after coming home
have allergic symptoms as follows: at first feel the tingling in the back and
neck, the lower part of the mandible, arms and back of the arms become hot, as
well as other symptoms such as Face
sweating, chest tightness and headache due to excessive consumption of MSG. These
symptoms were first discovered by a Chinese physician named Ho Man Kwok in 1968
on the appearance of certain symptoms after about 20 to 30 minutes of consuming
a meal at a Chinese restaurant.
The
FDA's advisory committee on the hypersensitivity to food constituents field
reported two things about the symptoms of CRS: MSG was suspected of causing CRS
and at the time it was found that it was supposed to be the main cause of the
onset of CRS symptoms .
Conclusions
The FDA Advisory Committee on the study of MSG has no potential to threaten
public health but the hypersensitivity or allergic reaction caused by consuming
MSG can indeed occur in a small number of communities. The
MSG threshold for humans is 2 to 3 g, and with doses greater than 5 g the
allergy symptoms (CRS) will appear with a 30 percent chance.
The
use of MSG in some types of baby food that is marketed in the form of fine
pulp, known as baby foods is actually done just to entice consumers (mothers)
by delicious flavor. While
the effect on food, vetsin will not increase nutrition and appetite for the
baby because the baby is not so concerned by the taste.
Examples
of experiments;
In
hewaan, MSG can cause degeneration and necrotizing neuron cells, degeneration
and necrosis of the inner retinal nerve cells, leading to cell mutations,
resulting in colon and liver cancer, kidney cancer, brain cancer and damage of
fat tissue.
6. Formalin
A. Formalin
Definition
Formalin
is a colorless solution and has a very pungent smell. Inside
formalin contained about 37 percent formaldehyde in water. Usually
methanol is added up to 15 percent as a preservative. Formalin
is known as a pest killer (disinfectant) and widely used in industry.
Other
names Formaldeh, Methylene aldehyde, Paraforin, Morbicid, Oxomethane,
Polyoxymethylene glycols, Methanal, Formoform, Superlysoform, Formic aldehyde,
Formalith, Tetraoxymethylene, Methyl oxide, Karsan, Trioxane, Oxymethylene, Methylene
glycol.
The
use of formalin as a germ killer so it is used for cleaning: floors, boats,
warehouses and clothing. Flyer
and other insects Made of artificial silk, dyes, glass mirrors and explosives.
Based
on the results of investigations and laboratory tests conducted by the
Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Center (POM) in Jakarta, found a number of
food products such as salted fish, wet noodles, and tofu who use formalin as a
preservative. Formalin
food products are sold in a number of markets and supermarkets in the DKI
Jakarta, Banten, Bogor, and Bekasi. The
presence of additives and dangerous preservatives in these foods has long been
a public secret. But
the classic problem is again a hot conversation later this year due to the
findings of Balai POM. This
fact is more aware to the public that there is a danger of formalin that
threatens the health that comes from the consumption of daily food (Judarwanto:
2006).
Formalin
is a commercial solution with a concentration of 10-40% of formaldehyde. This
material is usually used as an antiseptic, germicide, and preservative. Formalin,
Methylene aldehyde, Paraforin, Morbicid, Oxomethane, Polyoxymethylene glycols,
Methanal, Formoform, Superlysoform, Formic aldehyde, Formalith, Tetraoxymethylene,
Methyl oxide, Karsan, Trioxane, Oxymethylene and Methylene glycol. In
the market, formalin can be found in diluted form, with formaldehyde content of
10-40 percent.
B. Formalin
on Food
Formalin
is used as one substance to preserve food, so the food will last longer. Actually
the use of formaldehyde has long been added in food, but the actions of POM
agencies are less assertive in taking wisdom.
Many
foods containing formalin are circulating in the community. The news is certainly not a
figment. The
Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) has just launched its research results.
Of
the 700 samples of food products taken from Java, South Sulawesi and Lampung,
56 percent of them contain formaldehyde. Even 70 percent
of wet noodles are preserved with formaldehyde. Research
conducted by Balai Besar POM DKI Jakarta also mentioned, eight brands of
noodles and tofu are marketed in Jakarta contains formalin. BPOM
Makasar found dried salted fish in supermarkets and traditional proved to contain
formalin as well. Even
suspected, fresh fish from the catchment off the coast of Makassar Strait or
from the surrounding area also contains formalin for preservatives. In
addition to formalin, there are also fishermen who often use detergents (raw material
soap maker). For
most people, formalin is a common ingredient used for preservative corpses
(media indonesia 2009).
Substances
that actually have many other names based on these compounds have a compound
compound CH2OH reactive and easy to bind water. When
this substance is mixed with water then he is called formaldehyde. This
preservative has an aldehyde element that is easy to react with proteins, so
when splashed into foods such as tofu, formalin will bind protein elements from
the tofu surface to continue to sink into the interior.
With
the death of proteins after being bound to the chemical elements of formalin
then when suppressed tofu feels more supple. In
addition, dead proteins will not be attacked by decomposing bacteria that
produce acidic compounds, which is why tofu or other foods become more durable.
Formaldehyde
kills bacteria by making tissues in dehydrated bacteria (lack of water), so the
bacterial cell will dry and form a new layer on the surface. That
is, formalin not only kill the bacteria, but also form a new layer that
protects the layer below, in order to resist against other bacteria attack. When
other disinfectants deactivate bacterial attacks by killing and not reacting
with the protected material, formaldehyde reacts chemically and remains in the
material to protect from subsequent attacks.
Dangers to the Body
If formalin is swallowed the mouth,
throat and stomach burns, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, possibly bleeding,
severe abdominal pain, headache, hypotension (low blood pressure), seizures,
unconsciousness to coma. It can also occur liver, heart, brain, spleen,
pancreas, central nervous system and kidney damage.
If formalin is inhaled in the long
term it will cause headaches, respiratory problems, coughs, inflammation of the
mucous membranes of the nose, nausea, drowsiness, injuries to the kidneys and
the sensitivity of the lungs.
A new formaldehyde content will pose
a danger if inhaled by the respirator. If only digestible digestion tool, will
not pose a negative risk. "The use of formalin is only detrimental to the
breeders, when they inhale formaldehyde through respiratory equipment,
potentially leading to lung cancer (Yuswanto 2003: 26)."
