Chemicals in Food

Artificial Chemicals in Food: Additives in Modern Food

A dizzying array of chemical compounds is used in modern food. Artificially manufactured dyes, preservatives, flavors, texture enhancers, and fats enhance the way food looks, tastes, and feels. Considerable debate has raged over the long-term safety of chemical food additives, which are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. The FDA allows the addition of non-...

The Role of Food Additives and Chemicals in Food Allergy

Undeclared allergens continue to be the leading cause of food recalls in the United States [1]. It results from the failure to declare allergens in food labels, or accidental introduction of allergens in non-allergen foods or processing lines. Cross-contamination, which occurs when adjacent food processing lines are used in the processing of allergenic and non-allergenic foods, can also result ...

Dietary Exposure Assessment of Chemicals in Food

Food and agriculture Chemicals for agriculture

Agricultural production relies heavily on manmade chemicals used as fertilizers and pesticides, and to regulate plant growth. Pesticides are released intentionally into the environment to control insects, weeds, plant diseases and other pests that affect crop or animal production, as well as to control insects that spread human diseases. Pesticides have a well-established role in agriculture an...

Persistent toxic chemicals in the US food supply.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have spread throughout the global environment to threaten human health and damage ecosystems, with evidence of POPs contamination in wildlife, human blood, and breast milk documented worldwide. Based on data from the US Food and Drug Administration, this article provides a brief overview of POPs residues in common foods in the United States food supply. The ...