Lecture
Food acidity and alkalinity regulators include additives
that change or regulate the acidity or alkalinity of food products.
Among them, food acids occupy a leading place. For retail sale, food acids must be packaged in containers with a label bearing
a brief instruction on the method of use and recommendations on
dosage, as well as the designation «food grade» [2, 5].
Tartaric acid L(+) (E334) – an acidity regulator, antioxidant synergist and complexing agent. Tartaric acid does not undergo metabolic
transformation in the human body. It has a sharply pronounced sour
taste. According to research findings, no toxic action of tartaric acid has been identified.
Tartaric acid and its derivatives (E335-336) have been authorised for use in
Ukraine since 2004.
Orthophosphoric acid (E338) is used as an acidity regulator and antioxidant synergist. Salts of phosphoric acid are part of
bones and many enzyme systems. It is known that phosphate plays an important role in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Prolonged intake of an excess amount of phosphoric acid into the body may lead
to calcium loss. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives has established the daily dose of phosphoric acid
for humans at up to 5 mg/kg of body weight, and the conditionally acceptable dosage – 5-15 mg/kg. In
Ukraine, the use of orthophosphoric acid (E338), mono- and
disubstituted sodium phosphates (E339), potassium phosphates (E340), calcium phosphates (E341), ammonium phosphates (E342) and some other acidity and alkalinity regulators is authorised.
The following acidity regulators have not received absolute authorisation status in Ukraine: ammonium lactate (E328); D, L-magnesium lactate (E329); magnesium
citrate (E345); ammonium malate (E349); sodium fumarate (E365); potassium
fumarate (E366); calcium fumarate (E367); ammonium fumarate (E368).
In Ukraine, the following combined-purpose additives have not received authorisation status:
ammonium acetate (E343) – as a preservative and acidity regulator;
magnesium phosphate (E343) – an acidity regulator and an anti-caking agent;
sodium malate (E350) – an acidity regulator and moisture-retaining agent;
1,4-heptonolactone (E370) – an acidity regulator and complexing agent;
magnesium gluconate (E 580) – an acidity regulator and firming agent, and some other acidity regulators.
Comments