CONSUMER CHEMISTRY

CONSUMER CHEMISTRY
2ND QUARTER TOPICS
WEEK TITLE/TOPICS
1 CHEMICALS IN OUR FOOD: FOOD ADDITIVES
2 FOOD PRESERVATIVES AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
3 EVALUATING USAGE OF FOOD PRESERVATIVES AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
4 ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CONSUMING PRODUCTS WITH FOOD PRESERVATIVES
5 ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CONSUMING PRODUCTS WITH FOOD ADDITIVES
6 CHANGES DURING FOOD PROCESSING
7 CHANGES DURING FOOD STORAGE AND UTILIZATION
 LESSON 2:
FOOD PRESERVATIVES and
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Learning Competency:
The learners should be able to analyze the uses and
effects of consumer products through student-led
conference focusing on some important food-related
products.

Specific Objectives:
 identify the chemicals in the food
 describe chemical properties of food preservatives,
artificial sweetening agents and food preservatives
 analyse the uses of food additives in consumer
products
 food spoilage???
Food becomes unfit/ unsuitable for consumption.
adigaskell.org

indications of spoilage: “off- flavors”, odors, slime,

undesirable change in color and appearance rockdoveblog.wordpress.com

caused by 2 main factors:

 natural decay: moisture loss and enzymes
 contamination by microorganisms
fineartamerica.com
 FOOD
growthPRESERVATIVES
 added to products to prevent decomposition by microbial
or by undesirable chemical changes
 can be used alone or in conjunction with other methods of
preservation to prevent spoilage. The basic approach is to
eliminate MO’s from food and prevent their growth.
 can be classified as Class I(natural) or Class II (synthetic)
 can be classified as antioxidants or antimicrobials
 antioxidants
 Antioxidants are compounds that delay or prevent deterioration of foods by
oxidative mechanisms.
 Oxidation of food involves addition of an oxygen atom to or removal of
a hydrogen atom from chemicals in food. 2 types: autoxidation
of unsaturated fatty acids and enzyme-catalyzed oxidation.
 Antioxidants such as oxygen absorber target enzymes in fruits and
vegetables that continue to metabolize after they are cut.
 Autoxidation of unsaturated fatty acids involves a reaction bet. the carbon
double bonds and oxygen. The products of autoxidation, called
free radicals, produce compounds that cause the off-flavours and off-
odours characteristic of oxidative rancidity.
 antioxidants
 The most common antioxidant additives are ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and
ascorbates. Other antioxidants: BHA, BHT, TBHQ and propyl gallate.  
 Antioxidants that react with free radicals can slow the rate of autoxidation. These
include naturally occurring tocopherols (vitamin E derivatives) and
synthetic compounds butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene
(BHT), and tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ).
 antimicrobials
 Antimicrobial agents inhibit the growth of microorganisms in food.
 This method is the most traditional and ancient type of preserving. They are
most often used with other techniques like refrigeration.
 examples: calcium propionate, sodium nitrite, sulphites(sulfur dioxide,
sodium bisulfite, potassium hydrogen sulfite) and disodium EDTA.
 Sodium chloride is probably the oldest known antimicrobial agent.  
 Organic acids(acetic, benzoic, propionic,sorbic acids)-used in products with low pH. 
 Nitrates and nitrites inhibit Clostridium botulinum in cured meat products. 
 Sulfur dioxide and sulfites are used in dried fruits, fruit juices, and wines. 
antimicrobials
 SUGAR
 a type of carbohydrate; contains C, H and O molecules 
 caloric, sweet-tasting compound that occur widely in nature
 sugars (mono- and disaccharides) occur naturally in foods such
as fruits, vegetables, milk, and honey.  
 sugars are produced commercially
sucrose (table sugar) is produced from sugar cane
 
 added sugars as syrups are added to foods and beverages to
sweeten them. 
 ARTIFICIAL

 SWEETENERS
‘added sugars’
chemicals used to sweeten foods and beverages that provide
virtually zero calories.
 Nutritive sweeteners(sugars) provide calories, while non-
nutritive sweeteners are very low in calories or contain no
calories at all.
 The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the
following non-nutritive sweeteners: acesulfame-K, aspartame,
neotame, saccharin, sucralose and stevia.
 ARTIFICIAL
Currently, five artificial sweeteners have got US FDA approval.
SWEETENERS
 ARTIFICIAL
Currently, five artificial sweeteners have got US FDA approval.
SWEETENERS
 ARTIFICIAL
SWEETENERS
 ARTIFICIAL
SWEETENERS
 ARTIFICIAL
SWEETENERS
½ crosswise
I. Frayer Model
II. Answer the following questions.
1. What is the main difference between antioxidants and
antimicrobial preservatives?
2. How are artificial sweeteners different from sugar?
3. What does “non’caloric” mean?
4. Explain why aspartame is mainly used in drinks and cold
foods only?
5. Methanol forms in metabolism of neotame. Explain why
despite of this, it is still safe to use neotame on foods.