You may be wondering why there are always enumbers in food. You don’t only find them in stuff that you eat but the ones you drink as well. Are they truly necessary? As there have been issues regarding these additives and how they may be harmful to one’s health, couldn’t we live in an e-number-free world instead?
Well, the truth is, e-numbers are there for some reasons. Each of them actually plays a specific part on a certain food and drink. Many of the products we know today would be totally different without these controversial additives. Below is a rundown of the various roles of e-numbers so you can get a clearer idea of their purposes:
- Acid Regulators—Some e-numbers are used to control the acid levels in food. Products with high acidic content may not be very palatable at times.
- Anti-Caking Elements—Some of them play the role of preventing ingredients from caking or sticking together.
- Antioxidants—Antioxidants help in food preservation. They restrain the natural effects of oxygen on foods to delay spoilage and decay. One popular example of antioxidants is Vitamin C.
- Bulking Agents– These e-numbers make the food seem more filling. One common e-number in this group is starch.
- Coloring Agents– Oftentimes, colorless foods are unattractive and do not sell to many people. To make the products more appealing and inviting, additives that enhance colors to foods and drinks are used. They do not only create new shades, they also improve the natural colors of ingredients that were partially lost during the stage of processing.
- Color Retention Agents– Enumbers do not only color foods and drinks, they also help in retaining the natural color of the products without having to use any artificial coloring.
- Emulsifiers—Some additives are mixed with other ingredients so the manufactured food items that use oil and water would remain as they should. Water and oil, for instance, have a tendency to repel. Emulsifiers function as their bind. These binding agents keep water and oil together. Emulsifiers are most commonly used in ice cream and mayonnaise.
- Flavors– Some additives are used to sweeten up, spice up, or simply enhance the food or drink flavor. They are considered important in product manufacturing because they make the product tastier and more palatable to the consumers’ taste.
- Humectants— These are enumbers added to foods to prevent drying out.
- Flour-treatment Agents– These additives are used when flour is an ingredient. They improve the color of the flour when it is already baked.
Now, although the enumerated functions seem reasonable, this does not mean that enumbers are great add-ons to every edible product. You should not discount the fact that many of these additives can also cause food allergies. Over time, there have been many issues on enumbers and how they trigger some chronic diseases as well as start new ones. It would be wise to educate yourself on these additives and make sure they do not harm any one in your family.
