Additive Puzzle: Does Public Want More or Less?
Chemical additives are expected to remain as valuable ingredients in processed foods during the coming years despite consumer concerns about the compounds’ safety, according to a recent report.
In fact, use of items such as preservatives, stabilizers and artificial colors are actually projected to increase about 12% in the next 36 months.
The study, conducted by Frost & Sullivan Inc., estimates that annual sales of food additives in this country will top $1.8 billion in 1991 from the current level of $1.6 billion.
Even so, the report’s authors contend that a strong contradiction in public opinion exists today.
In theory, most consumers want only “natural” ingredients in foods. But, at the same time, they readily purchase highly processed, convenience products that require a host of additives. Food companies, therefore, are faced with these conflicting behaviors in terms of product development.
“On the one hand, (consumers) want food products that are free from artificial preservatives, colors and flavorings. However, more two-career households and single consumers require that foods be shelf-stable, easy to prepare and attractive in appearance and flavor,” states Frost & Sullivan, a New York-based research firm.
Some of the processed foods that rely most heavily on additives are frozen entrees, cake mixes, soft drinks, beverage powders and confections.
Emulsifiers and stabilizers are the fastest growing segment in the category. These compounds are used in processed foods in order to maintain structure and prevent separation of ingredients. Oddly enough, the projected increase is anticipated because of the expanded use of another additive: artificial sweeteners.
As a result, emulsifiers/stabilizers will replace the density, or bulk, lost in processed foods when sugar is replaced by proportionally smaller amounts of the new sweeteners. Such demand, the researchers estimate, will increase annual sales of this category to $458 million by 1991, or $50 million above current levels.
Even sales of artificial colors are expected to rise. In the past, several different food coloring agents have been banned by the federal government because they were suspected cancer agents. But sales of those colors that remain will bring in about $264 million by the beginning of the next decade, up from $246 million at present. However, previous problems with artificial colors will force manufacturers to develop additives that rely more on “natural” components, according to Frost & Sullivan.
Flavors, the largest segment among additives, will also experience sales growth to about $513 million annually by 1991, up from $477 million this year. And makers of flavoring agents are also continuing development of so-called natural ingredients.
The researchers identified a number of processes that may stall the widespread use of additives, particularly those compounds used as preservatives. Some of these technologies include food irradiation, vacuum packaging in polyethylene pouches and controlled-gas atmosphere packing.
Scrutinizing Milk--Illegal use of an antibiotic drug in dairy cows has slowed, according to federal officials.
Small amounts of sulfamethazine, a suspected cancer agent, were found in milk earlier this year during random tests by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The discovery was alarming because the drug was never approved for treatment of milk-bearing cows. In addition to its potential carcinogenicity, sulfamethazine can also trigger allergic reaction in those sensitive to sulfides.
Problems with sulfamethazine predate its discovery in milk, however. Illegal residues where found in swine in February.
The drug, now under review, had been permitted for veterinarian use on cattle, pigs, chickens and turkeys for the treatment of respiratory diseases. But only trace amounts of the compound (0.1 parts per million or less) can remain in animals when slaughtered for meat.
“When we heard of reports of sulfamethazine in swine we immediately wanted to determine whether we had similar problems in the milk area,” said Gerome Kozak, director of FDA’s milk safety branch.
As part of the investigation, milk was collected from stores in 10 metropolitan areas around the country in March. A laboratory analysis of the 49 samples, found that 36, or 73%, proved positive for sulfamethazine.
In each case the drug residue discovered was considered to be present in only trace amounts. Even so, Kozak said there is a zero tolerance for sulfamethazine in milk.
“We alerted the states that this problem existed and we launched a tremendous effort to conduct an extensive residue monitoring program and send educational material to farmers (on sulfamethazine restrictions),” Kozak said.
Although there have been numerous cases of illegal antibiotic use in meat producing animals to enhance growth rates, Kozak saids that in this case ignorance--rather than greed--was the problem.
Results of the FDA’s follow-up tests from the nation’s leading dairy states are due to be released in the coming week. From all preliminary indications, Kozak said, the number of samples testing positive will drop as a result of the government programs.
Ground Out?--Consumers concerned about fat intake would be well-advised to avoid ground beef altogether, according to a Washington-based health advocacy group.
Furthermore, even lean ground beef may not offer any significant reductions in fat content, the Center for Science in the Public Interest states in a recent report.
In terms of the federal government, there is no formal definition of the word lean as applied to ground beef. In fact, the fat content of ground beef--lean or otherwise--varies from one region of the country to another.
“No state requires ‘lean’ ground beef to be truly lean,” according to the CSPI survey. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a ‘lean’ meat or poultry product as one that is no more than 10% fat. But this definition doesn’t apply to ground beef.”
For instance, the group found that the fat content of lean ground beef ranged from 20% in some states to as high as 26% in others. Some states do not even distinguish between regular or lean ground beef. As such, both grinds of beef can be sold with a 30%, or more, fat content.
CSPI’s study concludes: “No other single food contributes more fat to the average diet than ground beef.’qc pass
