Preservatives

Food Preservation is the method or process of protecting the food from any kind of spoilage after it has been prepared. This process is continuing from the past till now, the only difference is that the techniques have been changed or developed a bit recently. It includes different types and varieties of food processing like sugaring, boiling, drying in the presence of sunlight, etc.

The preservation of food is important to keep the food fresh and healthy without any contamination. The contamination can be caused due to various factors which include contamination caused by microorganisms, infestation by insects, or the spoilage by endogenous enzymes which are naturally present in the food. The process of food preservation can be done in two ways either with the help of natural ingredients or by chemical substances.

Natural food preservation is the process of preserving food through natural ways like freezing, drying, etc.

Chemical food preservation refers to the preservation of food done through different types of chemical substances generally called food preservatives such as Benzoates, Nitrates, Nitrites, etc.

Benefits of food preservation:

Food preservation is really important and useful in our present society. Due to numerous growth of the human population, the shortage of food has become a major problem all around the world. And food preservation can be considered as the best way out of this serious situation. Some of the benefits of food preservation has been discussed below:

• Help in reducing the wastage of food in the society
• Makes food healthy 
• Provides wider choices in food
• Helps in boosting the local economy
• Good for our planet Earth

Preservatives

Preservatives are specific additives, substances, or chemicals that have been used to prevent the premature decomposition of the goods and increase their life period. In general, there are two kinds of preservatives, they are natural and artificial or human-made. Natural preservatives come from natural sources and are generally used in food and cosmetics whereas human-made preservatives are artificial preservatives created by humans through various chemical processes and help to prevent the spoilage of many other goods including food, medicine, and pharmaceuticals.

Usefulness or Benefits of Preservatives

Food has a natural expiration process and food preservatives help to reduce the speed of this expiration process. Food preservatives are generally used in processed or packaged food like Cakes and Biscuits available in the market, Cereals, and many other items which are available in the market in their processed or packaged form.

Food preservatives are used to prevent spoilage in the food which is caused by microbial growth thus helping in reducing the risk of foodborne infections. It also reduces the oxidation effect and helps to slow down the process of changing color and texture in the food, preserve its fresh attributes and maintain nutritional balance.

Preservatives are used in medicines and pharmaceutical products to prevent microbial growth and contamination. Some common preservatives found in there are Acids, Alcohol, and Phenols.

In cosmetics such as makeup and other personal hygienic products including shampoos, cleansers, etc. preservatives have been used to slow the process of expiration. The preservatives used in these products are basically human-made but in some cases, the natural preservatives are also used.

It may be found strange but preservatives are also used in woods to protect it from damage, breaking, and rotting. The preservatives found in wood are ACQ, Borates, Copper Azole, etc.

Harmful Effects of Preservatives

It is absolutely true that preservatives have certain good value but like every other thing, it has some side effects too. It is harmful when consumed in large amounts. It is poisonous to our health as well as the body. Some of the harmful effects have been listed here.

• It leads to hypersensitivity in children
• It can cause breathing problems including Asthma
• It can cause Cancer because some preservatives include BHA and BHT
• It can increase the chances of obesity
• It leads to gas and bloating
• It can be also harmful to our brain and cause mental diseases
• It can also lead to rashes and different problems occurring on our skin

Examples of Some Common Preservatives

There are various preservatives that are in use nowadays. Some common and mostly used preservatives are

• Natural preservatives such as Rosemary and Oregano Extract, Salt, Sugar, Vinegar, Alcohol, and Castor oil. 
• Artificial or human-made preservatives include Benzoic Acid, Calcium Sorbate, Erythorbic Acid, Potassium Nitrate, Sodium Benzoate.

Sometimes Antioxidants can be used as a food preservative as it helps in reducing the oxidation process in food. Some generally used antioxidants are Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butylated Hydroxyanisole(BHA), and Butylated Hydroxytoluene(BHT).

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Benzoate is the best known and popular preservative used in food and beverages, personal care products, and sodas to extend its shelf life. It is a salt made combining Benzoic acid and Sodium hydroxide which is an odorless powder.

Uses of Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Benzoate is useful in many industries such as food and beverages, medicines, personal care products, makeup, and cosmetics.

Food and Beverages

Sodium Benzoate is the first preservative recognized by the FDA and approved internationally. It is classified as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and identified as number 211. It is basically effective in acidic foods and helps to induce the growth of harmful bacteria and molds. Therefore, it is commonly used in soda, pickles, soya sauce, jelly, etc.

Medications

It is the most commonly used preservative in medicine. It is used in large amounts to reduce the elevated blood levels of ammonia. It is also used in prescribed medicines. It is used in the lubrication of pills to make the pills smoother and easy to swallow.

Other Important Uses

• It is used in cosmetics and personal care products as preservatives including toothpaste, baby wipes, and hair washes.
• It acts as a cooling agent in cars and vehicles.
• It is also used to strengthen some kinds of plastics.
• It has some medical benefits which have been severely researched and found by the researchers previously.

Dangers of Using Sodium Benzoate

Although unconditionally Sodium Benzoate is truly the best preservative still more research is required to improve it more and more to reduce its harmfulness.

• The most serious harmful effect of Sodium Benzoate is that it is easily convertible into Benzene, a harmful carcinogen. It leads to cancer.
• In some cases, it can cause inflammation in our body and finally lead to cancer.
• It has been found that high consumption of Sodium Benzoate can cause Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and students.
• In a test tube study, it has been found that free radicals are formed due to a higher concentration of Sodium Benzoate which can lead to cell damage and is prone to chronic disease.
• Some percentage of people can be allergic to Sodium Benzoate. It is possible to have itching and swelling due to an allergic reaction.

Conclusion 

There is no doubt that preservatives are really an important part of our human life. It helps to save the most important resource i.e, the food without which human life is next to impossible. As day by day, human civilization is increasing at a pacing rate, food scarcity is the major problem that is occurring very frequently these days. And these preservatives are helping to reduce the wastage of resources and thus helping the people a lot. Each and everything on this planet has dual effects, positive as well as negative. It’s true that preservatives are really helpful, but they still have a lot of harmful effects. Therefore, when using it everyone should be conscious about the amount they are taking in and use the preservatives as low as possible.