Along with other ingredients, food additives, as a rule, are indicated on the packaging, but among them there are those whose presence is never indicated on the label, and if it is indicated, then as an E-code, which almost no one pays attention to.
These are not prohibited substances, and they are all approved for use in food, just indicate their manufacturer on the product, there are hardly any people willing to buy it. We conducted a revision of food additives and found among them 8 substances that make us seriously think about the question: what do we eat?
Ammonia
The cuts formed during the meat production process are also used by producers. Since they contain both meat and fatty inclusions, and the remains of connective tissue, they are separated from fat in centrifuges. At the next stage, the resulting semi-finished product is processed with what everyone strongly associates exclusively with the chemical industry and medicine - the meat is affected by ammonia. As a result, the acidity of the meat decreases and pathogenic microorganisms are killed. The final product is called pink slime. It is used for minced meat, where its content does not exceed 25%. In the American market, the share of minced meat with a "secret additive" is about 70%. Whether it is used by domestic manufacturers is unknown.
Castoreum
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Beavers produce an aromatic substance in special sacs located at the anus. It is a bright orange liquid with a persistent odor. It is most commonly used for medicinal purposes, as an odor fixer in perfume production and as a food flavoring agent. It is added, for example, to sweets, gum, gelatin and pudding, thus giving the products the taste of raspberries, strawberries and vanilla.
Pig bristles and human hair
If you see a component like L-cysteine on the label before you buy, think again if you really want to eat it. Thanks to the amino acid present in the composition of hair proteins of every person, they improve the quality of flour and bakery products. The additive is obtained through the processing of human hair or pig bristles. L-cysteine is identified on the label by the code E920.
Viruses
Infectious agents are usually associated with the medical field or biology, but not food. However, they are also related to it: in order to kill microbes in products, bacteriophages are sprayed on it - viruses that selectively infect bacterial cells. Meat and gourmet products that are sold in sealed packages are exposed to such antibacterial therapy.
Gummilac
The insect lacquerbug, which lives on tropical plants, secretes gummilac resin. It is collected, processed and used for the manufacture of alcohol varnishes and varnishes, as well as glaze, for example, for candies, pills or tablets. On the packaging, the ingredient may be listed as confectionery glaze, resinous glaze, shellac.
Cellulose
In addition to the production of paper, plastics, films, films and varnishes, wood pulp is used in the manufacture of products. After heat treatment of wood pulp under the influence of chemicals, cellulose is separated. It is purified and added to foods to thicken, stabilize, replace fat and increase fiber. For example, cellulose can be found in some types of ice cream, as well as in hard cheeses, where it is used to prevent caking.
Carmine
Red food coloring, carmine, is obtained from carminic acid produced by female cochineal insects. They are collected in the period before oviposition and carmine is extracted from them: the insects are dried, pounded, processed and filtered in a special solution. The dye is used in the meat processing, dairy, confectionery and fish processing industries, as well as in the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. It is designated as a food additive E120.
Dimethylpolysiloxane
This type of silicone is mainly used in the cosmetic industry and for the manufacture of smart plasticine. But fast food manufacturers have managed to adapt it for food. The World Health Organization did not record any harmful effects, and dimethylpolysiloxane began to be used as a component that prevents the oil from foaming. Some of it is added when frying dishes.