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Guide to Reading Food Labels: What does the “E” with a number after it stand for?
Food
It is common to see codes such as E621 or E303 in our food, which indicate the additives of that product
When shopping for a product, many people notice its label. Whether to see the amount of sugars it has, its calories or the nutrients it will provide. And on many occasions they find on these labels that they carefully look at an “E” followed by a numerical code.
Although at first they may seem disconcerting, this indicator – which will be something like E621 or E303, for example – is not so strange: most of the products that we can buy in a supermarket carry it. These “E” do not indicate anything other than that this food has in its composition additive.
Do not be alarmed, as many foods have this kind of compound. As Beatriz Robles, food technologist and food safety expert, explains, it is important that consumers know that, before they can use additives, they have to spend a few Security controls.
And what is an additive? Juan José Samper, author of the book «Definitive Guide for interpret labels of food ”comments that a“ food additive ”is considered to be any substance that is not normally consumed as a food in itself nor is used as a characteristic ingredient of food, but is intentionally added to food, usually during its manufacture or transformation.
Control of additives
The regulation of these additives is the responsibility of the European Union. Before it can be used, the food technologist narrates the process that follows. First the additive must be evaluated by the European Safety Authority Food, so it is important to know “that it is not free to use.” In addition, as it counts, it is not only regulated what type of additive is used, but also the dose and the use that is given. “Depending on the food, the quantity can vary… absolutely everything is regulated. Once authorized cannot be free to useInstead, it must be specified in which food it is used and when, it is very controlled ”, adds the expert.
Juan José Samper gives the keys to understand why the use of these components is so widespread. These substances are used in the preparation of food for various purposes, such as coloration, preservation, flavor potency, sweetening, etc.
«A detailed classification is quite extensive, but we can highlight the following functional classes of additives, mainly because they are the best known: sweeteners, colorants, preservatives, Antioxidants, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, stabilizers or thickeners, for example “, lists the expert.
On the other hand, it is necessary to know that there are two ways in which we can find this labeling. In the first place, the technological function that it has, that is, if it is a preservative, a colorant or for example an antioxidant. Then the specific additive that it is can appear in two ways, with a code or directly with its name.
They’re safe?
The safety of these compounds cannot be called into question as they are approved by a food safety agency. Beatriz Robles affirms that “there are foods that have additives such as preserves, and that is why it does not mean that the food is bad or has a bad nutritional profile.” “If these are used, it is because they are necessary for the food to retain its properties and to preserve it,” he says.
For his part, Juan José Samper comments that “without falling into what some call ‘chemophobia'” it is necessary to point out several important issues. It points out that in some cases additives are added to foods that are “not strictly necessary”, such as colorings or flavor enhancers, “just to incite the consumer to greater consumption of the product”. It also warns about its excessive consumption, since “accumulation can occur.”
Marián García, doctor in pharmacy and graduated in human nutrition and dietetics, explains in her book “York ham does not exist” that it is important to differentiate between the terms “safe” and “healthy” and affirms that, although additives are safe, they are not always healthy. He gives as an example of “additives that do”, E330 (citric acid), an additive that is added to fried tomato as an acidity regulator, or EDTA, which is added to canned lentils so that they do not darken.
On the other hand, he talks about “additives that don’t”, like flavor enhancers. Although he indicates that “they do not damage the brain as some claim, he affirms that the problem with these is that they modify our eating behavior by causing us to eat more. “They add them to food that is usually not healthy, so the effect is worse,” explains the author.
“Additives are safe, but they must be viewed with great caution. My recommendation is to avoid them if possible “, says Juan José Samper and finally points out that” there are many opinions about it, and on countless occasions they are opposed “.