Contents:
- Medical Video: Is it true that additives in food can cause cancer to recur?
- What are food additives?
- Additives in food are not always dangerous
- Can additives in food make cancer recur?
Medical Video: Is it true that additives in food can cause cancer to recur?
Various foods that you consume daily, especially processed foods, can not be separated from additives in food. Some of these food additives are known to trigger cancer and various other chronic diseases. So, is that correct? Find out the answers in this article.
What are food additives?
Additive substances are used to give certain functions to food. Some of the main functions of food additives include:
- To give the shape and texture of food.
- To replace nutrients lost during refining or grinding.
- To preserve food and keep it from rotting.
- Control the development of acid-base in food. As a result, if food is heated, it can make certain foods expand.
- Give color and enhance taste. Accidentally added dyes can make food color attractive. While flavorings are used to produce a strong taste in the food.
Additives in food are not always dangerous
In general, if consumed with care and in sufficient portions, additives in food will not cause harmful side effects to the body. In fact, additives in food can make you enjoy a variety of healthy foods whenever you want.
However, some people may be more sensitive to certain food additives. As a result, sensitive people can only cause mild to severe reactions after eating foods that contain certain food additives.
This is why, it is important for you to always look at the label of information printed on each food / beverage package that you will consume. That way, you can find out the additives contained in each packaged food.
Additives attached to food labels with their chemical names look more familiar when you know their common names. Here are some other names of additives that are most often used in food packaging:
- Salt: sodium chloride
- Vitamin C: citric acid or ascorbic acid
- Vitamin E: alpha tocopherol, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)
- Artificial sweeteners: fructose corn syrup, aspartame, saccharin, etc.
Not all additives have a common name, but it's a good idea to remember that all foods are made of chemicals, just like our bodies. Manufacturers usually only use as many additives as needed to achieve the desired results.
Can additives in food make cancer recur?
Until now there is no convincing evidence that any additives in food can cause cancer or make the cancer recur.
A large study supported by the National Cancer Institute found that packaged drinks containing additives such as aspartame did not increase a person's risk of developing lymphoma, leukemia, or brain cancer. A spokesman for the Grocery Manufacturers Association in Washington D.C, Dr. Robert E. Brackett on the WebMD page said that for more than three decades research has found that aspartame is safe to use and has been approved for use in more than 100 countries.
Even the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is equivalent to the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration in Indonesia, has confirmed aspartame security 26 times over a period of 23 years.
However, this cannot be generalized for all food additives. Until now various studies continue to be carried out to ensure the presence or absence of certain additives in foods that can cause cancer or trigger cancer.
