Food Preservatives

For centuries man has treated food to prolong its edible life, and nowadays both traditional and modern preservatives are used widely to ensure the satisfactory maintenance of quality and safety of foods. There continues to be increased public concern about the use of food additives, including preservatives, resulting from a perception that some of them may have deleterious effects on health. However, as eating habits have changed with an emphasis on what has been popularly termed a `healthy diet', there is at the same time a concern that reduction in preservative usage could lead to loss of safety and protection from food poisoning. While some preservatives are coming under increasing regulatory pressure others, particularly more natural ones, are receiving increased attention and gaining in importance and acceptability. This book supports the continued safe and effective use of preservatives within these current constraints. It therefore gives detailed information on the practical use of the major antimicrobial preservatives. Uniquely, it couples this with current understanding of their modes of action, at the levels of cellular physiology and biochemistry, in such a way as to provide a sound scientific basis for their efficacy. Such an approach also encourages the future logical development and use of preservatives.

The Chemistry of Food Additives and Preservatives is an up-to-date reference guide on the range of different types of additives (both natural and synthetic) used in the food industry today. It looks at the processes involved in inputting additives and preservatives to foods, and the mechanisms and methods used. The book contains full details about the chemistry of each major class of food additive, showing the reader not just what kind of additives are used and what their functions are, but also how they work and how they can have multiple functionalities. In addition, this book covers numerous new additives currently being introduced, and an explanation of how the quality of these is ascertained and how consumer safety is ensured.

This major new reference work covers all the "must-have" technicaldata on food additives. Compiled by food industry experts with aproven track record of producing high quality reference work, thisvolume is the definitive resource for technologists in small,medium and large companies, and for workers in research, governmentand academic institutions. Coverage is of Preservatives, Enzymes, Gases, Nutritiveadditives, Emulsifiers, Flour additives, Acidulants, Sequestrants,Antioxidants, Flavour enhancers, Colour, Sweeteners,Polysaccharides, Solvents. Entries include information on: Function and Applications,Safety issues, International legal issues, Alternatives, Synonyms,Molecular Formula and mass, Alternative forms, Appearance, Boiling,melting, and flash points, density, purity, water content,solubility, Synergists, Antagonists, and more with full andeasy-to-follow-up references.

An Essential Household Reference…Revised and Updated With our culture’s growing interest in organic foods and healthy eating, it is important to understand what food labels mean and to learn how to read between the lines. This completely revised and updated edition of A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives gives you the facts about the safety and side effects of more than 12,000 ingredients–such as preservatives, food-tainting pesticides, and animal drugs–that end up in food as a result of processing and curing. It tells you what’s safe and what you should leave on the grocery-store shelves. In addition to updated entries that cover the latest medical and scientific research on substances such as food enhancers and preservatives, this must-have guide includes more than 650 new chemicals now commonly used in food. You’ll also find information on modern food-production technologies such as bovine growth hormone and genetically engineered vegetables. Alphabetically organized, cross-referenced, and written in everyday language, this is a precise tool for understanding food labels and knowing which products are best to bring home to your family.

This volume presents a wide range of new approaches aimed at improving the safety and quality of food products and agricultural commodities. Each chapter provides in-depth information on new and emerging food preservation techniques including those relating to decontamination, drying and dehydration, packaging innovations and the use of botanicals as natural preservatives for fresh animal and plant products. The 28 chapters, contributed by an international team of experienced researchers, are presented in five sections, covering: Novel decontamination techniques Novel preservation techniques Active and atmospheric packaging Food packaging Mathematical modelling of food preservation processes Natural preservatives This title will be of great interest to food scientists and engineers based in food manufacturing and in research establishments. It will also be useful to advanced students of food science and technology.

Extending the shelf-life of foods whilst maintaining safety and quality is a critical issue for the food industry. As a result there have been major developments in food preservation techniques, which are summarised in this authoritative collection. The first part of the book examines the key issue of maintaining safety as preservation methods become more varied and complex. The rest of the book looks both at individual technologies and how they are combined to achieve the right balance of safety, quality and shelf-life for particular products. Provides an authoritative review of the development of new and old food preservation technologies and the ways they can be combined to preserve particular foods Examines the emergence of a new generation of natural preservatives in response to consumer concerns about synthetic additives Includes chapters on natural antimicrobials, bacteriocins and antimicrobial enzymes, as well as developments in membrane filtration, ultrasound and high hydrostatic pressure

This text identifies common mistakes and challenges in food preservation in developing countries, offering solutions which can play a significant role in reducing food waste in these countries. The book offers critical analysis of current preservation techniques for fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, and grain, identifying key mistakes and challenges and proposing effective solutions. Feasibility tests for implementing these innovative approaches are also presented. A well-rounded study of the various causes of food waste in developing nations, this book plays a key role in bringing effective food preservation methods to the developing world. Food Preservation in Developing Countries: Challenges and solutions studies common food preservation techniques for fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, dairy, and grains, pinpointing the areas where waste occurs due to transportation, contamination, and low quality post processing. Innovative potential solutions are presented, including the feasibility of implementation of these advanced preservation techniques. The book takes a critical look at barriers to proper food preservation in these regions and offers practical solutions which can be implemented in a cost effective and timely manner. With almost one third of the world's food supply wasted each year and 13% of the world's inhabitants going hungry, this is an incredibly important and timely text.