Potential risks from abusing food additives of unknown origin

The use of food additives is currently becoming a worrying issue as many additives not on the permitted list are being used widely, posing a major challenge in the fight against "dirty" food.

Potential risks from abusing food additives of unknown origin

The use of food additives is currently becoming a worrying issue as many additives not on the permitted list are being used widely, posing a major challenge in the fight against "dirty" food.

Food additives are natural or synthetic substances used to improve flavor, color, extend shelf life or increase commercial value. They are divided into many groups such as preservatives, colorants, sweeteners, stabilizers, antioxidants, etc.

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Although playing an important role in food production and processing, not all additives are safe for health, especially when used in excess or in products of unknown origin.

Some common additives can be harmful when overused. Synthetic colorants such as tartrazine (E102), sunset yellow (E110), commonly found in candy and soft drinks, can cause allergies or increase the risk of cancer if used long term.

Preservatives such as sodium benzoate (E211), nitrites and nitrates (E249-E252) when combined with protein in food can be converted into nitrosamines - a proven carcinogen.

Artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, saccharin, and cyclamate, commonly found in diet or diabetic foods, can cause neurological disorders or increase the risk of cancer if used for a long time. In addition, thickeners and stabilizers such as carrageenan (E407) can also cause stomach ulcers in sensitive people.

According to regulations of the Ministry of Health , Vietnam allows the use of 400 types of food additives. However, the use of additives not listed or of unknown origin is still common.

Unregulated additives can cause silent health damage over time, leading to serious illnesses such as cancer, neurological disorders or chronic poisoning.

In fact, there have been many cases of serious poisoning due to the use of additives of unknown origin. A woman in Hanoi was hospitalized with severe anemia after using colorant of unknown origin to prepare fried spring rolls.

Two children were also poisoned by their families using unsafe additives in food processing. Previously, in 2021, a patient in Hanoi suffered acute hemolysis after eating homemade beef stew made from sauce powder purchased at the market.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh, a food technology expert, recommends that only additives on the permitted list should be used in appropriate doses and for appropriate subjects, while giving priority to natural additives and avoiding the use of chemicals when not necessary. He also emphasizes the habit of limiting the use of additives in daily food processing.

Consumers need to choose food from reputable manufacturers, with labels that provide full information such as product name, manufacturing address, expiry date and additives. For imported food, Vietnamese sub-labels are required to ensure safety.

The arbitrary use of food additives not only increases the risk of poisoning but also seriously affects long-term health. Be a smart consumer, say no to food of unknown origin and always put your family's health first.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/nguy-co-tiem-an-tu-lam-dung-phu-gia-thuc-pham-khong-ro-nguon-goc-d230594.html