Today it is difficult to find a product on the store shelf that is completely free from food additives, which in its composition are designated by a digital code with the letter "E". Code 400 to 599 denotes substances that are classified as stabilizers and emulsifiers. Food supplement E471 is a common stabilizer, its effect on the body has been sufficiently studied.
What are emulsifiers and stabilizers?
Emulsifiers and stabilizers are substances that ensure the stability of a mixture of immiscible substances (eg, oil and water). Stabilizers help maintain the mutual distribution of molecules of immiscible substances, as well as the consistency and properties of the product obtained.
Emulsifiers and stabilizers can be of natural origin (egg white, soap root, natural lecithin), but synthetic substances are used more often.
Among emulsifiers and stabilizers, not all are considered harmless to health, many of these food additives are banned in Russia. However, the stabilizer E471 is included in the lists of food supplements permitted in Russia, Ukraine and the European Union.
The most harmful in the group of stabilizers and emulsifiers are water-binding phosphates (E450), which are used in the production of cheeses, flakes, bakery products, powdered products and soda. Dietary supplements E510, E513 and E527 are also harmful, affecting the liver and gastrointestinal tract.
Is the stabilizer E471 harmful or not?
To find out if the preservative E471 is harmful, you need to find out its origin and effect on the body. Food additive E471 is an extract from glycerin and vegetable fats, it looks like a colorless cream without taste and smell. Since the composition of the preservative E471 includes various fat components, it is easily absorbed by the body.
In the classifier, the stabilizer E471 is called mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids. In the food industry it has been used for a long time and widely enough, since it allows to increase the shelf life of products, gives them a density, creamy consistency and fat content, but preserves the natural taste.
Food additive E471 is used in the production of yoghurts, ice cream, mayonnaise , margarine, in some types of baking - baking, cakes, crackers, cookies. The stabilizer E471 also proved successful in various sauces and creams, as well as in the production of sweets and baby food. It improves the taste of the finished product and eliminates greasy taste.
In desserts and ice cream, food additive E471 is used to strengthen foaming or as an antifoaming agent. Adding stabilizer to confectionery, meat and dairy products facilitates whipping and slows the separation of fats. In bread baking, mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are used to improve the plasticity of the dough, increase the bread volume and prolong the period of its freshness.
Studies of food additive E471 have shown,
Excessive consumption of foods with food additive E471 is harmful to people suffering from kidney, liver, gallbladder, and those who have problems with the functioning of the endocrine system. Baby formula with stabilizer E471 does not cause the child allergies and contribute to rapid weight gain, but can cause childhood obesity.