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Description: E500 food supplement: what it is, what it is made from. The benefits and harms of sodium carbonate, is it dangerous to humans. Where and why this substance is added.
E500 food additive is used in various industries, including food. It is added to improve the taste, color, structure of the product. It is a white crystalline substance without a pronounced odor.
What is E500 additive
E500 combines a group of 3 food additives. The common name for this group is sodium carbonates. It is popularly called soda. The international classification is as follows:
- E500 (i) - sodium carbonate;
- E500 (ii) - sodium bicarbonate;
- E500 (iii) - a mixture of sodium carbonate and bicarbonate.
The E500 has a number of useful properties. These qualities include: anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, abrasive. It also prolongs the shelf life of many foods and regulates acidity levels.
Nutritional supplements have been used for centuries. In the 60s of the last century, it was decided to standardize the list of all known additives. In Europe, at the beginning of the digital code is the letter "E". In Australia, the code consists exclusively of numbers. Food additives that are marked with the letter "E" include:
- food additives, starting with E100 - various dyes (turmeric, paprika, saffron);
- starting from E200 - preservatives;
- from E300 - antioxidants;
- from E400 - stabilizers, thickeners, emulsifiers;
- from E500 - acidity regulators, which includes soda;
- from E600 - flavor enhancers, including the well-known monosodium glutamate.
It is worth noting that contrary to popular belief, most of the food supplements that are labeled with the letter "E" are of natural origin.
What is the E500 food supplement made of
In natural conditions, the food additive is found in the ash of some seaweed, in the form of minerals. Today, soda deposits are located in Western Siberia, some areas of Transbaikalia. Lakes in Tanzania and California are famous. The natural resources of the United States meet most of the country's needs for this mineral. There are no large deposits of the substance in Russia, therefore it is not extracted from minerals.
Earlier, in the 19th century, soda was obtained by processing ash from certain types of seaweed and coastal crops. As for the methods of making soda today, several methods are known. However, the most effective is the Solvay method, which was patented back in 1861 by the chemist Ernest Solvay. The essence of this method is that it is a kind of chemical process in which sodium chloride, carbon dioxide, water and ammonia are involved. Substances are heated to a certain temperature and sodium carbonate is formed during this process.
The first soda plant was built in Belgium in 1863.In Russia, such a plant was opened in 1883 in the village of Berezniki in the Urals. Its productivity was about 20,000 tons of soda annually.
Another modern way of obtaining a food supplement is the Howe method. It was developed by a Chinese chemist in the early 30s of the last century. It differs from the Solvay method by the fact that no calcium carbonate is used in the production process. Until now, in some countries, artificially produced sodium carbonate is produced by the Howe method.
The benefits and harms of sodium carbonate (E500)
The harm from calcium carbonate can only be obtained with excessive use of the substance, but this is almost impossible. With irregular use of a food additive, the gastrointestinal tract will be the first to react negatively. There may be pain in the epigastric region, nausea, abnormalities in the liver. Rashes may appear on the skin. In theory, breathing disorder, fainting is possible. But such a dose cannot be consumed with food.
The benefits of sodium carbonate are evident in practical applications. It is used in many medicinal products, added to some foods and household cleaning products.
Dangerous or not E500 food additive
Disputes about the benefits and possible dangers of food additives have been going on for a long time, and more often in a negative way. The consumer, who sees the inscription "E500" in the composition of the product, does not understand what this actually means. In the food industry, the additive is used most often for loosening flour products, it adds fluffiness and volume to the dough. Many housewives actively use this additive in their kitchen, calling it baking soda.
As a rule, the E500 food additive does not have a harmful effect on the human body, it is absolutely safe to use during preparation. Allowable doses of the substance have not been determined, however, to achieve the desired effect, the additive can be used without fear.
Where and why sodium bicarbonate (E500) is added
In addition to being used in everyday life, the food additive is widely used in cooking, the chemical industry, medicine and some other areas.
In the chemical industry, the additive is used for the production of paints, foam, household chemicals, and also as a filler for fire extinguishers. In light industry, E500 is necessary for the manufacture of soles, in the production of artificial leather products, as well as in the process of tanning natural leather. In the textile industry, it is needed when finishing finished products from certain types of fabrics.
E500 additive is very actively used in the field of medicine:
- For sore throats, coughs, pharyngitis, gum and dental diseases, rinsing with soda is useful.
- In pathological conditions associated with acidosis (with diabetes, some infections), the substance is often prescribed internally.
- Add to drugs that have antacid properties.
- Used in expectorants.
The substance should not be used in case of individual intolerance, alkalosis, hypocalcemia and other pathological conditions. Since the supplement contains sodium, it helps to increase the volume of circulating blood, which aggravates edema and increases blood pressure.
Equally important is the addition of E500 in cooking, where it is more often used as a baking powder for certain types of dough. In the process of adding a substance to the sour dough, a reaction with lactic acid occurs, as a result of which the product becomes more airy. Experienced housewives know that it is important to observe the correct dosage when introducing a food additive into products. Otherwise, the product will end up with an unpleasant aftertaste.It is also necessary to observe the order of kneading products: soda is added to flour, and fermented milk products are added to liquid.
Conclusion
E500 is a food additive that is widely used in everyday life, for cooking and in industry. Contrary to the opinion of many, it is not dangerous to the human body.
