Preservatives are a common ingredient in foods and drinks around the world. Chemically manufactured food preservatives have revolutionized food industries. They’ve helped make food production cheaper, easier, and more efficient. Food preservatives enhance and intensify flavor, lengthen shelf life, and prevent the growth of mold and bacteria.
My sulfite allergy diagnosis meant I needed to learn all about food production, preservation, and the ingredients in food. I slowly removed preservatives from my diet and now I eat plant-based, natural whole foods. You can read about what this process looked like here. Through my experience with an allergy, I learned that preservatives are a lot more common than we think. And sadly, it’s more difficult to find food without added preservatives than it is to find food with them.
Chemical preservatives are beneficial to the food industry, but many of these chemicals can be harmful to our health and overall wellness. Educating yourself about food processing and preservation is eye opening but important. It is shocking to learn about the amount of chemicals in foods and drinks. And while it may be alarming, knowledge is power! And eating preservative-free foods and limiting the amount of chemicals you eat everyday is very possible.
In this post, I cover chemical food preservatives. I will also cover the food additives, antioxidants, natural preservatives, colors, etc. in future posts! It is important to learn about all preservatives, but chemicals felt like the best place to start.
Chemical Food Preservatives
Sulfites
It wouldn’t be my blog post if I didn’t cover sulfites first. Sulfites are the preservative that I am allergic to and avoid at all costs. Sulfites are both a man-made, chemical preservative and a natural occurring preservative. Many other chemical preservatives contain sulfites! Preservatives are commonly made from processed salts that are a hidden source of sulfites.
You can read an in-depth explanation of sulfites here and learn about which foods they are in here!
Nitrates
Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite are the preservative form of nitrates. These preservatives are found in cured meats such as cold cuts, bacon, sausage, ham, and hot dogs and are used to prevent bacteria growth. They are also the reason cured meat is pink or red because they prevent “browning.” Nitrates can also occur naturally in the environment and soil. This is why vegetables like beetroots often contain nitrates.
Nitrates are relatively harmless on their own, but when they come in contact with certain levels of acidity (even some stomach acidity) and high heat, they can turn into nitrites or nitrosamines. This means the negative effect of nitrates comes from cooking cured meats. A secondary risk comes from nitrates reacting with chemicals and enzymes in your digestive system to form nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are a known carcinogen; a harsh chemical linked to cancer. Consumption of these chemicals may be harmful to our overall health.
Benzoates
The common benzoate used in food preservation is sodium benzoate. Sodium benzoate does not occur naturally. It is a combination of the sodium salt of benzoic acid and sodium hydroxide. Both food and personal care products (makeup, medication, etc.) use this preservative. Soda, bottled lemon and lime juice, jellies, dressings, pickles, and other condiments contain sodium benzoate. Mouthwashes, cough syrups, soaps, and shampoos may also contain this preservative.
Sodium benzoate can deter corrosion, inhibit bacteria and mold, and is most effective in acidic foods. There have been some studies that state sodium benzoate is harmful when combined with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). As a highly processed salt, sodium benzoate often contains sulfites.
Sorbates
Potassium sorbate is a chemical salt that is odorless, tasteless, and highly soluble in water. It is one of the most stable preservatives and even works efficiently at room temperature. This chemical prevents the growth of mold, fungi, and yeast. The FDA recognizes it as “generally safe.” Other sorbate preservatives include calcium sorbate and sorbic acid.
Foods such as cheese, yogurt, dips, mayonnaise, wines, fresh and dried fruits, apple ciders, and ice cream are some places you can find this preservative. Contact lens solution, makeup, moisturizers, and other personal care products can contain potassium sorbate. There is a recommended intake of daily potassium sorbate of 3mg per kg of body weight per day.
Propionates
The chemical additive sodium propionate is a sodium salt of propanoic acid. This chemical prevents the growth of fungi and mold in baked goods and breads. This preservative can also prevent mold growth in processed cheeses. One interesting common practice is to add ammonium propionate to animal feed to prevent bacterial overgrowth in the animal’s stomach.
What’s shocking about this preservative is that it is classified as an irritant in many countries. There are also some studies that suggest this preservative has negative impacts on our blood sugar and metabolism. This article summarizes some possible negative impacts of sodium propionate including how it may cause metabolic irregularities.
Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is a white, water-soluble solid or a clear liquid that can be produced naturally or synthesized chemically1. It can prevent the growth of bacteria, microbes, mold, and more. The natural or chemical forms of lactic acid will often cause a presence of sulfites in foods.
Lacto-fermentation is one common practice that results in fermented food products with better flavor and textures. Lacto-fermentation uses a lactic acid producing bacteria to break down sugars which reduces risk of mold overgrowth. Examples of food that use this processes include yogurts, meats, breads, sauerkraut, cucumber and other pickled vegetables.
Conclusion
Learning about chemical preservatives can help you spot them on food labels. These preservatives have names that are easy to remember because, well, they sound like chemicals. Since not all preservatives are easy to understand, this is a good place to start. I’ve learned it is difficult to find information about all preservatives in one place. So my goal is to share my knowledge of preservatives in a way that helps you better understand how and where to find them one step at a time!
Now, I don’t recommend cutting out preservatives entirely (because I can tell you it’s not fun/easy!). But it is important to be knowledgeable about the chemicals in your foods. The more you know about ingredients, the better food choices you’re able to make. Eating preservative-free has helped my overall health by allowing me choose more natural food options and organic brands. If you’re looking for healthier, natural, or clean food options, education is the first step. In the world of food, health, and wellness: knowledge is power!
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, please reach out to my via email, on instagram @thenaturaleater or through the contact tab in the menu bar 🙂
