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SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE Emulsifier. Cakes, candy, frozen pudding, icing

SORBITOL Sweetener, thickening agent, maintains moisture. Dietetic drinks and foods; candy, shredded coconut, chewing gum

STARCH, MODIFIED STARCH Thickening agent. Soup, gravy, baby foods

VANILLIN, ETHY$$ILLIN Substitute for vanilla. Ice cream, baked $$ beverages, chocolate, candy, gelatin desserts

Caution

These additives may be unsafe, are poorly tested, or are used in foods we eat too much of.

ARTIFICIAL COLORING—YELLOW NO. 6 Artificial coloring. Beverages, sausage, baked goods, candy, gelatin

ARTIFICIAL FLAVORING Flavoring. Soda pop, candy, breakfast cereals, gelatin desserts; many others

BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE (BHA) Antioxidant. Cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, vegetable oil

CORN SYRUP Sweetener, thickener. Candy, toppings, syrups, snack foods, imitation dairy foods

DEXTROSE (GLUCOSE, CORN SUGAR) Sweetener, coloring agent. Bread, caramel, soda pop, cookies, many other foods

GUMS: Guar, Locust Bean, Arabic, Furcelleran, Ghatti, Karaya, Tragacanth. Thickening agents, stabilizers. Beverages, ice cream, frozen pudding, salad dressing, dough, cottage cheese, candy, drink mixes

HEPTYL PARABEN Preservative. Beer

HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL Source of oil or fat. Margarine, many processed foods

INVERT SUGAR Sweetener. Candy, soft drinks, many other foods

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG) Flavor enhancer. Soup, seafood, poultry, cheese, sauces, stews; many others

PHOSPHORIC ACID; PHOSPHATES Acidulant, chelating agent, buffer, emulsifier, nutrient, discoloration inhibitor. Baked goods, cheese, powdered foods, cured meat, soda pop, breakfast cereals, dehydrated potatoes

PROPYL GALLATE Antioxidant. Vegetable oil, meat products, potato sticks, chicken soup base, chewing gum

SULFUR DIOXIDE, SODIUM BISULFITE Preservative, bleach. Sliced fruit, wine, grape juice, dehydrated potatoes

Avoid

These additives are unsafe in the amounts consumed or are very poorly tested.

ARTIFICIAL COLORINGS

BLUE No. 1 Beverages, candy, baked goods

BLUE No. 2 Pet food, beverages, candy

CITRUS RED No. 2 Skin of some Florida oranges only

GREEN No. 3 Candy, beverages

ORANGE B Hot dogs

RED No. 3 Cherries in fruit cocktail, candy, baked goods

RED No. 40 Soda pop, candy, gelatin desserts, pastry, pet food, sausage

YELLOW No. 5 Gelatin dessert, candy, pet food, baked goods

BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL (BVO) Emulsifier, clouding agent. Soft drinksBUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE (BHT) Antioxidant. Cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, oils, etc.

CAFFEINE Stimulant. Coffee, tea, cocoa (natural); soft drinks (additive)

QUININE Flavoring. Tonic water, quinine water, bitter lemon

SACCHARIN Synthetic sweetener. “Diet” products

SALT (SODIUM CHLORIDE) Flavoring. Most processed foods, soup, potato chips, crackers

SODIUM NITRITE, SODIUM NITRATE Preservative, coloring, flavoring. Bacon, ham, frankfurters, luncheon meats, smoked fish, corned beef

SUGAR (SUCROSE) Sweetener. Table sugar, sweetened foods

GLOSSARY

ANTIOXIDANTS retard the oxidation of unsaturated fats and oils, colorings and flavorings. Oxidation leads to rancidity, flavor changes, and loss of color. Most of these effects are caused by reaction of oxygen in the air with fats.

CHELATING AGENTS trap trace amounts of metal atoms that would otherwise cause food to discolor or go rancid.

EMULSIFIERS keep oil and water mixed together.

FLAVOR ENHANCERS have little or no flavor of their own, but accentuate the natural flavor of foods. They are usually used when very little of a natural ingredient is present.

THICKENING AGENTS are natural or chemically modified carbohydrates that absorb some of the water that is present in food, thereby making the food thicker. Thickening agents “stabilize” factory-made foods by keeping the complex mixtures of oils, water, acids, and solids well mixed.

Copyright by Center for Science in the Public Interest 1978. Posters with this information available from CSPI, 1755 S Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009.