Source: Today's Headlines • Food Industry Eye / Author: Akira Akiyama
Due to the in-depth promotion of consumption upgrading and the continuous changes in health food production technology, health food production has also put forward many new requirements for the application of food additives, which need to be constantly updated and kept pace with the times.
Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation solicited public opinions on the Provisions on The Provisions on the Use of Auxiliary Materials and Their Use in the Filing of Health Foods (2020 Edition) (Draft for Solicitation of Comments). The excipients available in the draft opinion contain a variety of food additives, of which 4 preservatives are planned for use in the production of health foods.
Health food capsules
The draft for comment stipulates that 128 kinds of food additives can be used as health food ingredients. The 128 food additives include the following categories: food preservatives, pigments, acidity regulators, sweeteners, antioxidants, emulsifiers, thickeners, processing aids, anti-caking agents, coating agents, coagulants, bulking agents, flavors, nutritional enhancers, and others (isomerized lactose solution).
The food preservatives mentioned in the Provisions on the Use of Excipients and Their Use in the Filing of Health Foods (2020 Edition) (Draft for Comment) include 4 categories: benzoic acid and its sodium salt, parabens and their sodium salts, sorbic acid and its potassium salt, and sodium acetate.
Flaky health food with additives
Some consumers will worry that the use of food preservatives in food, especially health food, will affect food safety and human health.
Food professionals point out that this concern is unscientific. Food preservatives are a class of additives that can inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, and can prevent food spoilage caused by microorganisms, improve food safety quality, and extend the shelf life of food. Due to the influence of many factors such as existing food technology and processing costs, some foods are prone to rapid reproduction of bacteria, mold and other microorganisms if preservatives are not added, and there are spoilage problems such as mold and odor. The addition of food preservatives in the processing of some health foods can avoid food spoilage, extend the shelf life of food, and help protect the safety of health food and the health of consumers.
Health food with added preservatives: oral liquid
Of course, the use of preservatives and other food additives in health food must strictly comply with the corresponding food laws and regulations, not only to comply with the "National Standards for Food Safety" and the "Standards for the Use of Food Additives", but also to comply with the relevant provisions of health food production.
The use of preservatives in health foods is stricter than that of ordinary foods. In the production of ordinary food, there are more than 30 kinds of food preservatives available in China, such as benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, calcium propionate, etc. In the Provisions on the Use of Excipients and Their Use in the Filing of Health Food (2020 Edition) (Draft for Comments), there are only 4 kinds of preservatives planned for use in health foods (see above), reflecting the principle of "strict licensing and prudent use".
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