Chemical substances |
Example |
Preservative: Prevents growth and reproduction of microorganisms, reduces food spoilage and makes food last longer.
Impacts on health: Cancer, allergy, foetal defects and damages liver and kidney
|
- Salt
- Sugar
- Vinegar
- Sodium nitrate
- Sodium nitrate
- Benzoic acid
- Boric acid
- Sulphuric dioxide
|
Colouring: Adds colour to food and makes food look more attractive
Impacts on health: Cancer, infertility, food poisoning and damages liver and kidney
|
- Pandan leaf
- Turmeric
- Tartrazine
- Sunset yellow
- Carmoisine
|
Bleach: Bleaches unwanted natural colour from food
Impacts on health: Cancer and food poisoning
|
- Activated carbon
- Benzoyl peroxide
|
Flavouring: Improves the taste of food, makes food more delicious and fragrant and enhances the natural flavour of food.
Impacts on health: Cancer, high blood pressure, heart diseases, mental retardation in children and damages liver and kidney
|
- Sugar
- Vinegar
- Vanilla
- Monosodium glutamate
|
Stabiliser: Prevents deposition of granules in liquid food and improves texture and thickens food |
- Starch
- Gelatin
- Agar
- Acacia gum
|
Sweetener: Sweetens food and drinks
Impacts on health: Cancer, diabetes mellitus, allergy, obesity and damages liver and kidney
|
|
Antioxidant: Slows down the oxidation of fatty food and prevents fruits and vegetables from turning brown
Impacts on health: Retards body growth, damages liver and kidney and rash and itchy skin
|
- Ascorbic acid, Tocopherol
- Butylated hydroxyanisole
|
Emulsifier: Emulsifier substances that do not mix and improves homogeneity, stability and texture of food
|
- Lecithin from egg yolk
- Pectin
- Monoglyceride
|