POTENTIAL HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS DUE TO THE FOOD ADDITIVES

Description

Ana-Maria MOICEANU-ȘOVĂREL

Hypersensitivity reactions to food additives (HFA) have been the subject of many studies over the years. (4) In the food industry, thousands of additives of natural or synthetic origin are used for the purpose of flavoring, coloring, preservation, sweetening, antioxidation, and thickening of the product. (4) Some additives influence the structure and chemical characteristics of food. Among them are: acidifiers, emulsifiers, preservatives, enzymes, growth and buffering agents. (4,5) The shelf life of the food can be extended by including agents with antioxidant roles, preservatives and hardening/pickling substances. (4) The sensory characteristics of food products can be modified by adding dyes, thickening agents, gelling agents, and sweeteners without a nutritional role. (4) In the United States, additives in food products are identified by their names in English, while in the European Union, the identification is done by a unique number, specifically the “E number”. (2,3) Research has shown that only a limited number of additives are responsible for the occurrence of immunological or non-immunological adverse reactions.

https://doi.org/10.58679/UTM55418