PDA

View Full Version : food labels



Vicky
July 11th, 2004, 12:10 AM
Do you ever read the ingredients and realize that you have no idea what you're eating ? cause i do, and that's the reason why i'm starting this thread. i'm going to look up some of the stuff you find on the food labels and post it. you're very welcome to join me and make it easier for all of us.


Disodium inosinate:


Disodium inosinate does not contain MSG, but works synergistically with free glutamic acid. When disodium inosinate is found on a food label, consumers can be fairly certain that the labeled product contains some hidden processed free glutamic acid (MSG). Disodium inosinate is relatively a expensive food additive that would not be cost effective if it were not used in the presence of MSG.

May be prepared from meat or sardines; may trigger gout, not permitted in foods for infants and young children
Not normally suitable for vegetarians - usually made from meat or fish.
E631 disodium inosinate [Flavour enhancer] [possibly of animal origin]
It is found in instant noodles, potato chips and snacks, savoury rice, tinned vegetables, cured meats, packet soup.


Niacin

Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin whose derivatives such as NADH play essential roles in energy metabolism in the living cell. Severe lack of niacin causes the deficiency disease pellagra, whereas a mild deficiency slows down the metabolism, which in turn decreases cold tolerance and is a potential contributing factor towards obesity. The designation vitamin B3 also includes the amide form, nicotinamide or niacinamide.

The name niacin derives from nicotinic acid + in. When the properties of niacin were discovered, it was thought prudent to choose a common name other than nicotinic acid, for fear that it might be confused with nicotine, leading to the ideas that either smoking provided vitamins or that wholesome food contained a poison.

Nicotinic acid reacts with hemoglobin and myoglobin in meat to form a brightly coloured complex, and thus has been used as a food additive, typically to improve the colour of minced (ground) meat. However, sometimes excess niacin is added to the meat during processing. Though still licensed as a food colouring agent in some countries, it is not licensed as such in Europe.

The body can synthesize niacin from the essential amino acid tryptophan, but the synthesis is extremely slow; 60 mg of tryptophan are required to make one milligram of niacin. For this reason, eating lots of tryptophan is not an adequate substitute for consuming niacin.

Because niacin in large quantities is a vasodilator, large doses of niacin (either from vitamin B3 tablets or from treated meats) may cause harmless and short-lived but unpleasant symptoms such as extreme skin flushing resembling a sunburn, itching, gastric disturbances, and lowering of blood pressure. The amide form (strictly speaking a provitamin) does not cause these side effects, but is also not as easily assimilated by the body.

Large doses of niacin are sometimes prescribed to combat high blood pressure, and also to lower blood cholesterol levels.\n

Vicky
July 11th, 2004, 12:13 AM
What is a maltodextrin?
MALTRIN╝ maltodextrins are easily digestible carbohydrates made from natural corn starch. The starch is cooked, and then acid and/or enzymes are used to break the starch into smaller polymers (a process similar to that used by the body to digest carbohydrate).
MALTRIN╝ maltodextrins are generally sold as dried powders.
MALTRIN╝ maltodextrins are polymers of dextrose (sometimes labeled "glucose polymers").
MALTRIN╝ maltodextrins do not contain significant quantities of protein, fat or fiber.
MALTRIN╝ maltodextrins are not produced from and do not contain malt products.
Corn-based maltodextrins are safe for patients with celiac disease since they do not contain proteins from wheat, barley, oats or rye.
MALTRIN╝ maltodextrins are not known to contain MSG.
Diabetics should follow the advice of their physicians. MALTRIN╝ maltodextrin’s glycemic index should be considered metabolically equivalent to glucose (dextrose).
The finished product…

Is easily digestible
Is a convenient source of energy
Contains approximately 4 calories per gram
Is cold-water soluble
Has low or no sweetness
Helps in producing many liquid and dried nutritional products

Rebel Girl
July 11th, 2004, 01:09 AM
i do not want to know too much about my food...:(.

misq17
July 11th, 2004, 01:59 AM
This is why I've been trying to stay away from processed foods, my new rule is, if I don't know what the ingredient is and I can't pronounce it, I'll try not to eat it

Vicky
July 11th, 2004, 07:35 AM
Triacetin (glyceryl triacetate) is used as an ingredient in many food and cosmetic products. Its high solvency power and low volatility make triacetin a good solvent and fixative for many flavors and fragrances. One of its main uses is as a plasticizer in chewing gum. The United States Food and Drug Administration affirmed triacetin as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in human food. It is also generally recognized as safe in animal feeds, as a pesticide adjuvant, and in food packaging. Triacetin meets all Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) specifications and is manufactured under good manufacturing practices (GMP).

Vicky
July 15th, 2004, 11:48 AM
What is Potassium Sorbate?

Potassium Sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, a naturally occurring organic acid that has been used extensively as a fungistatic agent for foods. Sorbic acid was first discovered in the Mountain Ash Tree (Sorbus aucuparia or Sorbus americana).

Today most potassium sorbate is made synthetically. It is a white crystalline powder, inexpensive (at typical usage levels), with basically no noticeable flavor at normal usage concentrations.

When dissolved in water, potassium sorbate ionizes to form sorbic acid which is effective against yeasts, molds, and select bacteria, and is widely used at 250 ppm to 1000 ppm levels in cheeses, dips, yogurt, sour cream, bread, cakes, pies and fillings, baking mixes, doughs, icings, fudges, toppings, beverages, margarine, salads, fermented and acidified vegetables, olives, fruit products, dressings, smoked and salted fish, confections and mayonnaise.