Antioxidant

Food can spoil not only by microorganisms, but also by contact with oxygen (atmospheric oxygen). Oxidation processes are also triggered by light and heat. Fats, proteins (albumen), vitamins and also colorants react sensitively. For example, oxidation processes cause fat to become rancid, apple pieces to turn brown and some vitamins to lose their effectiveness. Antioxidants are food additives used to preserve the taste, odor, shelf life, and color and nutritional value of foods. Some antioxidants are also used as preservatives, acidifiers and thickeners, and in addition to food, are used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and consumer products. Even in low concentrations, antioxidants can bind free radicals and convert them into inert intermediates or end products. Ascorbic acid and tocopherols are natural antioxidants, but they are now produced synthetically (artificially) due to the high demand. Ascorbic acid (E 300; vitamin C) and its salts or fatty acid esters (E 301, E 302, E 304), which are used as antioxidants, are found mainly in currants, peppers, citrus fruits and also in white cabbage. They are supposed to prevent the fruits from turning brown. Canned fruit and vegetables, frozen products and beverages – beer, wine, fruit juices – are also fortified with ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is added to meat and sausage products to support the effect of the nitrite curing salt during reddening and to prevent the formation of toxic nitrosamines* . Tocopherols (E 306 – E 309; vitamin E family) are mainly added to vegetable oils, margarines and cocoa powder. The most important group of synthetic antioxidants are gallates (E 310 – E 312). They are added to vegetable oils and margarines and prevent rancidity, thus preserving the flavor of these foods. Antioxidants are also present in ready-to-eat dried potato products (e.g. dumpling powder), walnut kernels, cereal-based snacks, nut- or almond-based sweets, marzipan paste, instant products and ice cream. Antioxidants are labeled as such on the ingredient list (“with antioxidant”) and labeled with the E-number or name of the specific substance. * In the body, nitrate is reduced to nitrite by bacteria (saliva/stomach). Nitrite is a reactive oxidant that reacts preferentially with the blood pigment hemoglobin and converts it into methemoglobin. Furthermore, nitrites (also contained in cured sausage and meat products as well as ripened cheese) form nitrosamines with secondary amines (contained in meat and sausage products, cheese and fish), which have genotoxic (effects of chemical substances that trigger changes in the genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid) of cells) and mutagenic (effects that trigger mutations or chromosomal aberrations and thus alter the genetic material of an organism) effects. Antioxidants approved in the European Union are:

Gallates are non-toxic, but may cause sensitization reactions and trigger allergies upon skin contact. The following is a tabular overview of the antioxidants that can trigger allergic (A) and/or pseudoallergic reactions (P).