Food additives and food labels

It is sometimes difficult for consumers to determine which food additives to avoid. Chemical names are not commonly known, and food labels can be difficult to decipher. Below is a partial list of food additives that have been shown to pose problems for many consumers.



High fructose corn syrup - A very common additive in processed foods like baked goods, frozen desserts, tomato sauce, ketchup, canned and frozen fruit, and soft drinks. Corn syrup has no nutritional value and can lead to obesity.

Aspartame, Saccarin and Sucralose - Aspartame is found in Nutrasweet, Equal and Spoonful, and accounts for 75% of adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Saccharin has been found to cause bladder cancer in male rats. Sucralose, found in Splenda, is found in found in soft drinks and baked goods. Although the Center for Science in the Public Interest has concluded that Splenda is safe for consumption, others are less certain.

Trans Fatty Acids - Trans fats, formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats through hydrogenation, are found in shortening, margarine, crackers, and other processed foods. They have received a bad reputation because they raise levels of LDL, or "bad", cholesterol. The USDA recommends keeping consumption of trans fats as low as possible.

Artificial coloring - The Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends avoiding foods with artificial coloring, as many have not been fully tested for safety. Some can cause hyperactivity in some children. CSPI considers Blue dye 1 and 2, Green dye 3, Red dye 3 and Yellow due 6 the most risky.

Propyl Gallate - This preservative, found in soups, chewing gum, vegetable oils and meat products, has been implicated as a possible carcinogen.

Sodium Nitrite/Nitrate - Used as preservatives in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats, they can lead to the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines.

BHA and BHT - Preservatives commonly found in baked goods and processed foods, they may pose a cancer risk, and should be avoided.

Olestra (Olean) - Created by Proctor & Gamble to help premature babies, Olestra is a fat substitute found in their Frito Lay WOW chips and Pringle's fat-free chips. The bowel disturbances and impaired absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including carotenoids, have created doubts about this food additive.

Potassium Bromate - This additive has long been used to increase the volume of bread and to produce bread with a fine crumb (the not-crust part of bread) structure. Most bromate rapidly breaks down to form innocuous bromide. However, bromate itself causes cancer in animals. The tiny amounts of bromate that may remain in bread pose a small risk to consumers. Bromate has been banned virtually worldwide except in Japan and the United States.

Quinine - This drug can cure malaria and is used as a bitter flavoring in a few soft drinks. There is a slight chance that quinine causes birth defects, so, to be on the safe side, pregnant women should avoid quinine-containing beverages and drugs.

Stevia - Stevia, which is about 100 times sweeter than sugar, is obtained from a shrub (yerba dulce) that grow in Brazil and Paraguay. The name of the actual sweet chemical is stevioside. The health-food industry advocates stevia extract as a safe alternative to synthetic sweeteners, like saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose. However, "natural" does not automatically mean "safe". Studies found that high dosages fed to rats caused reduced sperm production and other problems.
Consumers can visit a number of websites for more information and help with food labels. Visit the Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition food label page for a detailed explanation of food labels. For ongoing information about food safety, visit Food Quality News, the food safety information website. Or you can check out safefoodinternational.org.

For more detailed coverage of food additives, from which the information above was excerpted, please visit the CSPI Guide to Food Additives webpage.

Consumers Union (publishers of Consumer Reports) has created a website about environmental labels and related issues. Visit eco-labels.org for information.

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