E Numbers: How Dangerous Are These Food Additives?
The E number system was originally used in the European Union to regulate the use of substances added to processed foods and beverages to color them, flavor them, change their texture, or improve their keeping qualities. Additives were given a unique number and those that were approved for use were preceded by ‘E’. Since then, the numbering system has been adopted internationally, but only European countries use the ‘E’ prefix.
Authorities consider most food additives to be safe, although some have been known to cause cancer or be bad for you in other ways. Countries do not always agree on whether or not a certain additive is dangerous, so some additives are banned in some countries but not in others.
Additives are numbered according to their primary purpose as shown below:
- E100 – E199 (colours)
- E200 – E299 (condoms)
- E300 – E399 (antioxidants, acidity regulators)
- E400 – E499 (thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers)
- E500 – E599 (acidity regulators, anti-caking agents)
- E600 – E699 (flavor enhancers)
- E900 – E999 (various)
- E1000 – E1999 (additional chemicals)
Although there are several thousand additives in use, not all are synthetic substances. We must keep in mind that food additives such as salt, sugar, and vinegar have been used to preserve food for centuries. However, the amount of additives in our food and drink has skyrocketed in the last thirty years as processed foods have gone from being a rare to an important component of our diet. It is this overall burden that is probably the most worrying.
So if an additive has been approved, that’s fine, right? Well not exactly. Some approved additives have been linked to hyperactivity (ADHD) in children. Others have been linked to allergic or sensitivity reactions, asthma, and migraines.
The additives that are generally considered the most problematic are:
condoms
Nitrates and nitrites (E249-252) are potentially carcinogenic (cancer-producing). They produce the characteristic flavor of bacon and ham that cannot be produced any other way, so sadly these preservatives are hard to ban.
Benzoates (E210 – 219) can cause sensitivity problems such as hives or hives and asthma in people who are also sensitive to aspirin and/or tarzine (E102).
Sulphites, metabisulphites and sulfur dioxide (E220 – 227) can trigger asthma attacks due to their irritant effect on the respiratory tract. They are often found in cold drinks, fruit juice concentrates and wine, dried fruit, especially apricots, and sprinkled on salads.
Antioxidants
The synthetic phenolic antioxidants BHA and BHT (E320 and 321) can trigger asthma, rhinitis, and urticaria or urticaria.
Emulsifiers, stabilizers and thickeners
E430, E433 and E435 are particularly suspected of being carcinogenic (cancer-producing).
dyes
Synthetic dyes known as azo dyes such as tartazine (E102), sunset yellow (E110) and amaranth (E123) are known to cause sensitivity reactions such as hives or hives and asthma, especially in children. Excessive amounts of food coloring and sodium benzoate preservatives are particularly linked to hyperactivity (ADHD) in children.
flavor enhancers
The most important and widely used flavor enhancer is monosodium glutamate or MSG. Well known for producing ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’, symptoms of which range from chest tightness and palpitations to fainting, hot flashes, sweating, headache and low blood pressure, MSG is now believed to be an endocrine disruptor. This means that it can disrupt the body’s endocrine (hormonal) system. The long-term effects on all aspects of health that this could have are potentially far worse than ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’, and for this reason particularly worrying. MSG is also reported to trigger attacks in some asthmatics.
Unfortunately, the additive labeling system is not foolproof. Certain categories of products are exempt, such as alcoholic beverages, food and beverages served in catering establishments, and medicines. Foods sold unwrapped, such as cheese, deli items, and bread, may also be exempt, although they likely contain additives. Even with labeled foods, manufacturers may not be required to list all substances that have already been added to the ingredients.
Some categories of additives, such as flavorings, also do not have to be listed on labels. They have never been tested for safety, and the assumption that they are safe is based on the fact that they are used in very small amounts. However, anyone who eats large amounts of sweets or sweets, soft drinks, and processed snacks is likely getting a much higher dose.
Unless we know we have problems with specific additives as individuals, we might think there’s no need to worry about them. However, very little is known about the cumulative effects of the thousands of chemicals we are exposed to in our daily lives, whether we ingest them through our food or drink, or through our skin and lungs. We cannot prevent this attack on our body’s detoxification systems (mainly our liver and kidneys) unless we stop living in modern life. But common sense tells us that we can reduce our risks by avoiding adding chemicals whenever we can. So the next time you’re at the grocery store, compare labels on processed foods and select brands with fewer additives. Or better yet, buy the ingredients, in the least processed form possible, and make your own low-additive meals.
Copyright BuenaDietaBuenaSalud.com 2007