Read Labels to Avoid Questionable Additives

For many of us, the informal rule for reading food ingredient labels seems to be, “If you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t eat it.” But that’s not necessarily true.

Sure, some additives have scary-sounding names. For example, there’s ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA, an additive used during food processing that is generally regarded as safe to consume. Others, such as potassium bromate, have a somewhat healthier ring, although studies have shown that this additive--used most often in bread dough--causes cancers in laboratory animals, prompting consumer activists to seek a federal ban on the substance.

There are nearly 3,000 additives approved for use in food. They are used to extend shelf life, enhance nutritional value and to prevent ingredients from separating. They’re also used to make food more attractive and to enhance its taste and smell.

On average, U.S. consumers ingest a whopping 150 pounds of food additives a year. Of that total, 130 pounds is sugar and sweeteners, 10 to 15 pounds is salt, and 5 to 10 pounds is enriched vitamins, flavors, preservatives and colored dyes.

The Food and Drug Administration regulates food additives and determines which are safe enough to be used. One important safety check is the Delaney clause of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which permits the agency to ban any food additive found to cause cancer in humans or animals.

While there are reasons to be cautious even about some additives approved as safe by the FDA, the benefits of many additives outweigh the risks. With just a little time spent reading labels, many of these risks can be largely avoided.

The most common additive (no surprise) is sugar--used to satisfy our sweet tooth, enhance color and to add bulk to our foods. For those of us who actually read food ingredient labels, our attention is focused primarily on a few controversial additives that we’ve heard of, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), Aspartame or sulfites.

MSG is a unique flavor enhancer, which acts on the tongue to enhance certain tastes while minimizing others, such as the unpleasant taste of fermented or slightly spoiled foods. It is a common ingredient because it doesn’t adversely affect the flavor of the food.

Most commonly associated with Chinese food, studies have found that the additive can cause headaches, nausea, weakness, burning sensations in the neck and forearms, wheezing and difficulty in breathing. MSG is used in many ethnic restaurants, and your best bet is to ask your waiter if it is used.

At the supermarket, read the labels carefully because other additives, such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, also contain glutamate. The additive occurs naturally in Parmesan cheese and tomatoes, but no adverse health reactions have been reported.

Aspartame, a controversial sugar substitute sold under the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is made from two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine. There have been some reports of people experiencing dizziness, headaches and hallucinations after consuming Aspartame, although these reactions have not been confirmed in research studies.

Also, people who have phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder that prevents the body from breaking down protein in food, should avoid any food or beverage containing Aspartame because studies have shown that the additive, when ingested by people with the disorder, may cause tissue damage in adults and brain damage in infants.

Sulfites are used to prevent certain foods, such as fruits, vegetables and some potato products, from browning. It is also added to beer, wine and other fermented foods to slow the growth of bacteria. Sulfite is a catchall phrase, and can be listed as sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium or potassium bisulfite, and sodium or potassium metabisulfite. It is estimated that between 5% and 10% of the population may experience some adverse reactions to sulfites, including wheezing, diarrhea, stomachache, hives or swelling. Asthmatics are more likely to experience adverse reactions.

People are more conscious than they used to be of consuming foods with additives and taking steps to avoid them, even if they do not fully understand their possible risks. A survey by the Food Marketing Institute and Prevention magazine found that 52% of consumers purchase some foods without additives or preservatives out of concern for their health.

My recommendation is to be prudent when it comes to eating foods with additives. Do not assume that you can tell if an ingredient is harmful just by its name.

*

Phil Lempert hosts a national syndicated radio show and is the food correspondent for NBC’s “Today” show. He can be reached by e-mail at PLempert@aol.com. His column appears the first and third Mondays of the month.