Misunderstanding Towards Additives in Today's Life

The dispute surrounding McDonald's additives has triggered some ripple effects and there is a rising doubt among public about the security of processed food containing multiple additives. Experts say proper use of additives won't pose a threat to health. However, a precise of checking of all addities is impossible.

Here's our reporter Liu Min.

Reporter:

Whenever a food problem occurs, public fears quickly spread. This time, it involves food additives. This lady shopping at a supermarket says now her nerves go on edge every time she's out shopping. She has to look at the additive label every time.

"There are too many additives around us. McDonald's says the amount of chemical additives is safe, but who knows, and who knows what else has exceeded the standard."

Food additives are categorised into three main groups, based on an international standard, such as natural extracts from natural plants, things produced through food fermentation like citric acid and those of a purely chemical makeup. Currently, one hundred percent natural extracts are priced at a high level and most of the economical food in the market was produced using compound additives.

Professor Chen Min from China Agriculture University is an expert in food additives research. She says food additives have become a life necessity in modern life.

"Most of the processed food we have today has a variety of additives. The food products have to be preserved for a period of time; otherwise they can't be merchandised in a broad market. Plus, some additives can provide extra colours, and tastes to the food, making them more attractive. In such a modern society, one can not avoid having food with additives. Additives only do harm when the manufacturers overdo it."

But what concerns customers the most is they don't know what kind of food has exceeded additive limits, posing potential risks to people's health. For example, an additive Calcium sulphite. It is preserved in a vast array of foods-from burgers to biscuits to make old products look fresh. They can cause bronchial problems, flushing, low blood pressure, and anaphylactic shock. The World Health Organization says avoid them if you suffer from bronchial asthma, cardiovascular or respiratory problems and emphysema.

Officials from the Beijing public health administration department say the two chemical additives found in McDonald's chicken Nuggets are not listed as routine additives check list.

Given the fact that there are tens of thousands of additives out there in processed food, how would customers know whether a particular food they have has excessive additives? Professor Chen Min says the answer is that actually customers are always the last to know about it.

"Some of the food additive amounts that are standard in China are even stricter than the international limits. But the current inspection system in every country is now adopting a random check-up method since every processed food involves multiple additives, and it is almost impossible to give every additive a regular test on every kind of food and every kind of brand."

The professor says, for example, there are about seven to eight kinds of antioxidants alone used in fried food, not to mention those used to add flavours and colours. If all of these additives were to be examined, then the food itself would be extremely expensive since the cost of testing is very high. Experts suggest that customers buy those processed foods with a good reputation and larger brands since the amount of additives used during production is more standardized than food that comes for smaller factories.

For CRI, I'm Liu Min.