Understanding Food Additives & knowing what to avoid if you're a Vegie

[Guest guest]

Hi All, I've recently joined this interesting group and would like to say hello

to everyone and congratulate the owners and moderators for a job well done.

Donna, specifically thought I should post this article on your site which I had

recently posted on an Australian Vegetarian discussion groupsite where i am

currently a moderator for. I'm hoping the information provided would be your

first line of defence, empowering all fellow vegetarians to make better informed

consumer choices when selecting vegetarian products and foodstuff. So, here's

the article from...

http://au.TheVeggieClub/

I thought we should touch upon this subject since many vegetarians are

unfamiliar with exactly what all those mysterious numbers on food labels mean.

This basic compiled list will help unravel the maze of Food Additives for

Vegetarians, although please be reminded that it is not a comprehensive list.

COLOURINGS (100-180)

The above number ranges are used to make foods look appetising and

compensate for the loss of colour in processing. PRESERVATIVES (200-321)

These are used to prevent food spoilage and ensure that safe,

palatable food is available all year round. EMULSIFIERS, FOOD ACIDS, MINERAL

SALTS & STABILISERS (322-495)

Emulsifiers are used to enable oils and fats to mix with water and prevent them

from seperating again.

Food Acids include citric acid occuring naturally in citrus fruits.

Mineral Salts are compounds made from acids and minerals.

Stabilisers are a complex chemical mixture with roles including preventing oil

and water in frozen desserts separating and keeping bread and doughnuts moist.

FLAVOUR ENHANCERS (620-640)

Commonly found in plant and animal tissues and widely used in

savoury foods to make flavours seem stronger. Monosodium Glutamate

or MSG is perhaps the best known. SWEETENERS (950-967)

Used commonly in low-sugar and low-joule acid foods and cold drinks.

WHAT TO AVOID IF YOU'RE A VEGGIE

Vegetarians should avoid the following numbers at all times

120 - Cochineal, derived from insects

542 - edible bone phospate, an anti-caking agent Additionally, the following

additives may or may not be suitable for

vegetarians and the only way to be on the safe side is to contact

manufacturers directly since they are not bound by law to specify

which version they have used. The numbers to look-out for are,

153, 161(g), 252, 270, 322, 325, 326, 327, 422, 433, 435, 436, 471,

472(a), 472(b), 472©, 472(d), 472(e), 473, 475, 476, 477, 481,

482, 491, 492, 570, 572, 631, 904, 920. In particular, look out for 904, a

shellac glazing agent used to wax

apples, which may be derived from insects. Emulsifiers 471-475 and

481-495 may be derived from either animal or vegetable fats.

Lecithin (322), may occasionally be derived from non-free range eggs. Vegans

should avoid milk-derived additives such as 270, 325-327 and

472(b) as dairy products can show up in surprising places such as

chilli sauce, curry mixes, noodles, pickled onions, snacks and

lollies. Whey and emulsifiers are found in chocolate and whey is

usually used as a flavour carrier in chips. I hope you find this information

useful.For more intresting articles like these, click on the group's homepage

link above. Thanks...

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you for posting this most interesting news. I will watch

labels more closely. Quite a surprise about noodles and pickles

possibly containing dairy.

Welcome to the group.

Ray

 

 

 

, " Bernard " <ybelias>

wrote:

>

> Hi All, I've recently joined this interesting group and would like

to say hello to everyone and congratulate the owners and moderators

for a job well done. Donna, specifically thought I should post this

article on your site which I had recently posted on an Australian

Vegetarian discussion groupsite where i am currently a moderator for.

I'm hoping the information provided would be your first line of

defence, empowering all fellow vegetarians to make better informed

consumer choices when selecting vegetarian products and foodstuff.

So, here's the article from...

> http://au.TheVeggieClub/

> I thought we should touch upon this subject since many vegetarians

are unfamiliar with exactly what all those mysterious numbers on food

labels mean. This basic compiled list will help unravel the maze of

Food Additives for Vegetarians, although please be reminded that it

is not a comprehensive list. COLOURINGS (100-180)

> The above number ranges are used to make foods look appetising and

> compensate for the loss of colour in processing. PRESERVATIVES (200-

321)

> These are used to prevent food spoilage and ensure that safe,

> palatable food is available all year round. EMULSIFIERS, FOOD

ACIDS, MINERAL SALTS & STABILISERS (322-495)

> Emulsifiers are used to enable oils and fats to mix with water and

prevent them from seperating again.

> Food Acids include citric acid occuring naturally in citrus fruits.

> Mineral Salts are compounds made from acids and minerals.

> Stabilisers are a complex chemical mixture with roles including

preventing oil and water in frozen desserts separating and keeping

bread and doughnuts moist. FLAVOUR ENHANCERS (620-640)

> Commonly found in plant and animal tissues and widely used in

> savoury foods to make flavours seem stronger. Monosodium Glutamate

> or MSG is perhaps the best known. SWEETENERS (950-967)

> Used commonly in low-sugar and low-joule acid foods and cold

drinks.

> WHAT TO AVOID IF YOU'RE A VEGGIE

> Vegetarians should avoid the following numbers at all times

> 120 - Cochineal, derived from insects

> 542 - edible bone phospate, an anti-caking agent Additionally, the

following additives may or may not be suitable for

> vegetarians and the only way to be on the safe side is to contact

> manufacturers directly since they are not bound by law to specify

> which version they have used. The numbers to look-out for are,

> 153, 161(g), 252, 270, 322, 325, 326, 327, 422, 433, 435, 436, 471,

> 472(a), 472(b), 472©, 472(d), 472(e), 473, 475, 476, 477, 481,

> 482, 491, 492, 570, 572, 631, 904, 920. In particular, look out for

904, a shellac glazing agent used to wax

> apples, which may be derived from insects. Emulsifiers 471-475 and

> 481-495 may be derived from either animal or vegetable fats.

> Lecithin (322), may occasionally be derived from non-free range

eggs. Vegans should avoid milk-derived additives such as 270, 325-327

and

> 472(b) as dairy products can show up in surprising places such as

> chilli sauce, curry mixes, noodles, pickled onions, snacks and

> lollies. Whey and emulsifiers are found in chocolate and whey is

> usually used as a flavour carrier in chips. I hope you find this

information useful.For more intresting articles like these, click on

the group's homepage link above. Thanks...

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Bernard ~ Thanks for all the wonderful information. I have a food

additive book that is page after page of scary stuff; your info I

could easily tuck in my pocket when we go shopping.

Cyndy

 

p.s. Love your new dentures! LOL

[Guest guest]

Bernard, welcome!! Thanks for all the great info!!! It's great to see

in a concise format all that stuff that you can find in various places

online... Please, take yer hat off and stay awhile!!

 

Amy