E 451 food additive is dangerous or not. Triphosphates in food products: effects on the body and applications

The cosmetic industry uses food additive E 450 as a buffer. Commonly used in toothpastes to prevent plaque formation.

Benefit and harm

A synthetic additive does not have a beneficial effect on human health.

Independent experts (Kedr group) classify pyrophosphates as substances that provoke the development of oncological diseases.

Official structures recognize the additive E 450 as safe (class 4 according to GOST 12.1.007), but emphasize the need to comply with the allowable norm.

The advice is good, but it is difficult to follow: the percentage of chemicals added is not indicated on the packages. The consumer can only rely on the integrity of the manufacturers.

A high concentration of pyrophosphates can cause a number of negative consequences:

• violation of the digestive tract;
• joint diseases (for example, pyrophosphate arthropathy caused by the deposition of calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the tissues);
• imbalance of macro- and microelements, which leads to the development of osteoporosis and other ailments;
  an increase in the level of LDL-cholesterol (“bad”), this can cause the formation of vascular plaques, disrupt blood supply, and provoke a stroke.

As part of cosmetics, the additive E 450 can cause an allergic rash, irritation of the mucous membranes.

Main manufacturers

The world leader in the production of pyrophosphates is the Belgian company Prayon S.A.

Food supplement E 450 is produced by:

• OAO REATEKS, created on the basis of the Pilot Plant. L. A. Kostandova (Moscow);
• the Nord Plus company, which is part of the NORD group (St. Petersburg);
• Gebex 24 Unternehmergesellschaft (haftungsbeschraenkt), Germany;
• Langfang Huinuo Fine Chemical Co., Ltd., China.

Food pyrophosphates are not as harmless as it seems at first glance. It is important to prevent their accumulation in the body. To do this, it is enough to exclude sausages, low-calorie fats and broth concentrates from the daily diet.

E-451 (Sodium triphosphate) is a saline solution of tri-polyphosphoric acid Na 5 P 3 O 10, is a food additive, where it is used as an emulsifier. Outwardly, it is a hygroscopic or granular white powder, produced by the so-called dehydration synthesis of the mixture. In the manufacture of food products, tripolyphosphate acid is used as a product viscosity controller, a texturizer, a complexing agent, and an antioxidant. Not unimportant reason for the use of salt is its ability to preserve the color of products.

E-451 is subdivided into sodium triphosphate (with the chemical formula Na 5 P 3 O 10) and potassium triphosphate (with the formula K 5 P 3 O 10).

E-451 is especially in demand in the technological process of manufacturing sausages and sausages. When using an additive, meat fibers concentrate a larger volume of water, due to which the mass of products at the outlet increases accordingly, and even more than several times.

Triphosphates can also be added to other products:

• Milk and cheeses.
• Butter and margarine used for sandwiches.
• Baking and confectionery.
• Dry soups.
• Pasta.
• Minced fish.
• Canned food.
• Syrups and toppings.
• Soft drinks, etc.

Is it worth eating food containing E-451 emulsifier?

Phosphates themselves are hazardous food additives, in this connection, the systematic use of products, which include this emulsifier, leads to inflammatory processes in the mucous membranes of the body, and especially in the digestive tract. In the stomach, triphosphate breaks down into small particles - orthophosphates, which in large quantities cause a shift in the acid-base balance of the body in the direction of increasing acidity, the so-called metabolic acidosis.

Due to the large amount of this trace element in the body, the absorption of calcium decreases, which directly leads to the deposition of calcium and phosphorus in the kidneys, and develops osteoporosis. In children, the nervous system is overexcited, which leads to constant nervousness and a sharp lack of calcium in the body, and this is fraught with serious consequences. Large absorption of products, with the emulsifier E-451 leads to unpleasant and severe indigestion. The possibility of provoking a cancer-forming effect with further negative consequences is not excluded. The skin also suffers from this substance, due to the predominance of allergenic qualities.

Also, animal studies have shown that the addition of E-451 does not affect reproductive functions, fertility and offspring, as well as the growth or survival of offspring.

Triphosphates are very dangerous substances when they are handled. They cause irreparable damage to the human skin. Therefore, people who encounter triphosphates while working should follow the safety rules:

• If at work this substance has got on the mucous membrane of the eye, rinse with clean water as soon as possible. After that, be sure to go to a specialist.
• To prevent the harmful component from entering the respiratory tract, all workers must wear respirators.
• An enterprise with no ventilation is not allowed to work with these substances.

Noticed fact! If you put a product with the presence of E 451 in the freezer and then defrost, the product will significantly decrease in size, and the consistency will become much worse.

Additive E451 can also be used in the manufacture of cosmetics and household chemicals. At the same time, there will be nothing useful in it, on the contrary, you can harm the skin with the constant use of any of the products.

Additive E-451 is approved for use in the food industry of the Russian Federation. Also, the E-451 additive is included in the list of permitted food additives in Ukraine.

It can be concluded that the E-451 supplement benefits only food manufacturers, but the body is harmed.

On a note! Food additives such as E451 tend to accumulate in the human body. Their influence is difficult to determine initially, but over time, health problems may appear, the causes of which are difficult to establish. To avoid this, you should be attentive to the diet, reduce the consumption of food with food additives and stabilizers. Cosmetics and household chemicals also have a gradual negative impact. Maybe it was not in vain that grandmothers wiped their faces with a decoction of chamomile, and washed the dishes with mustard powder.

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Tripolyphosphate (E451) is a food additive with pronounced stabilizing properties, which is a salt solution of tripolyphosphoric acid.

It is used in the food industry to maintain the desired consistency and viscosity of the product. Also "works" as an acidity regulator, preserving the shade of meat products and fats and preventing oxidation processes.

The appearance of the additive is a white powder or granules. For the synthesis of a substance, sodium or potassium salts can be used. The stabilizer with the addition of potassium is designated E451ii, and the salts of triphosphoric acid with sodium - E451i. Sodium triphosphate is considered a safer substance.

Additive E451: effects on the body and dangerous properties

As a result of numerous studies, triphosphoric acid salts were recognized as hazardous to health, but this did not lead to changes in the legislation on its use, and today the food additive E451 is allowed for use not only in Russia, but also in many EU countries.

Health Supplement Hazard:

The accumulation of phosphates in the body leads to a decrease in the ability to absorb. This trace element, along with phosphorus, settles in large quantities on the kidneys, which provokes the development of osteoporosis;
with the abuse of triphosphates, and the maximum the daily dose is 70 mg per kg of body weight, there are inflammatory processes of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and a violation of its functions;
the risk of developing metabolic acidosis increases - a disease in which the amount of acids in the body increases significantly due to their difficulty in excretion through the kidneys or gastrointestinal tract;
increased levels of bad cholesterol;
increased risk of cancer;
is a strong allergen, so the substance is especially dangerous for people prone to allergic reactions, causing irritation and rashes on the skin;
for the child's body, this food stabilizer, which accumulates in excess, causes a calcium deficiency, a constant manifestation of nervousness and hyperexcitability.

Application of E451 in the food industry

The main area of ​​use of triphosphates is the meat and sausage industry, as well as the fishing industry. They are added in order to increase the acidity of raw materials and the ability of meat protein fibers to accumulate moisture. Due to this processing, the weight of the product double their mass or more.

When using a stabilizer in frozen foods, it can be noted how its volume decreases again after defrosting and loses its consistency. Legislation determines the permissible norm of the stabilizer in meat and fish - no more than 5 g per 1 kg of products.

In industry, food stabilizer E451 is also used in the production of:

glazed fruits, canned food;
processed cheese;
margarine, cream, cheese, butter, ice cream, milkshakes;
cereals, instant broths and soups;
desserts, syrups, cider, liquid whipped dough;
any semi-finished products, minced fish, canned seafood;
bakery products, baking powder, powdered sugar.

To minimize harm, it is worth limiting the use of sausage and other products containing an additive in the diet.

In pursuit of improving the quality and appearance of products, manufacturers often resort to various chemical compounds, one of these is E 451 food additive. We will consider its harm and useful properties in this article. Is she really that dangerous? And in what products can it be found?

What is the additive E451

E451 is a food additive, its scientific name is triphosphates, which are compounds of tripolyphosphoric acid. They are obtained through chemical synthesis, in appearance the additive is a white powder or granules. It is used to stabilize, fix color and impart other properties to products.

Impact on the human body

When we see the “E” marking on packages, we often think about the possible negative consequences of using such products. E451 food additive, the harm of which is currently well understood, is not a harmless compound. It can completely damage the body, because an excess of phosphate leads to an accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the kidneys. And this leads to the occurrence of a disease such as osteoporosis.

There is a safe daily dose, which is seventy mg per kilogram of body weight. With this intake, E451 will not be harmful. If you use foods with this additive every day and in unlimited quantities, this will lead to damage to the mucous membranes, especially the digestive organs. The chemical compound will certainly become a prerequisite for digestive dysfunction.

E451 food supplement is not very useful for children either. If it enters the fragile children's gastrointestinal tract, it will irritate it, and also lead to a nervous state or insomnia. E451 can cause calcium deficiency in infants and older children.

This dietary supplement can break down in the human body into orthophosphates, which cause such a serious disease as metabolic acidosis. In addition, E451 increases blood cholesterol and can cause the development of cancer cells. Of course, negative manifestations take place with excessive and regular enthusiasm for products with this additive.

Where are triphosphates used?

In the food industry, the food additive E451 performs a huge number of functions:

1. It can be an acidity regulator, stabilizer, color fixer.
2. Triphosphates function as a texturizer, antioxidant, emulsifier or complexing agent.

Often, E451 is used in the manufacture of various meat products (sausages, smoked meats, sausages), as well as fish processing.

When processing meat products with triphosphates, dietary fibers gain the ability to absorb more moisture, which in turn leads to an increase in weight and savings for the manufacturer. The food additive promotes the emulsification of fats. E451 is used in the production of milk, ice cream, cheese, confectionery, glazed curds, minced fish. The additive is also present in soft drinks, pasta, dry soups, and various syrups.

Watch a video on how to remember harmful food additives E:

Triphosphates (food additive E451) are salts of tripolyphosphoric acid. In appearance, triphosphates are a white powder obtained by synthesizing from various substances. In the food industry, the additive E451 is used as acidity regulator, texturer a , complexing agent.

There are two subspecies of the E451 additive:

• E451i- sodium triphosphate (salt of tripolyphosphoric acid with the chemical formula Na 5 P 3 O 10;
• E451ii- potassium triphosphate (potassium salt of tripolyphosphoric acid with the formula K 5 P 3 O 10.

Possible ways to obtain sodium triphosphate are represented by the following chemical reactions:

• 6 H 3 PO 4 + 5 Na 2 CO 3 → 2 Na 5 P 3 O 10+ 5 CO 2 + 9 H 2 O;
• NaPO 3 + Na 4 P 2 O 7 → Na 5 P 3 O 10;
• Na 3 P 3 O 9 + 2 NaOH → Na 5 P 3 O 1 0 + H2O;
• 2 Na 2 HPO 4 + NaH 2 PO 4 → Na 5 P 3 O 10+ 2 H 2 O.

Potassium triphosphate is obtained by carrying out similar chemical reactions.

Almost all food phosphates and their mixtures, which are used in the meat processing and fish industries, have an alkaline reaction. The addition of alkaline phosphates to meat and fish leads to an increase in the acidity of products, and as a result, to an increase in the moisture-binding properties of proteins.

Tripolyphosphate (additive E451) is best for fat emulsification. The use of E451 supplements above the permitted norm can adversely affect human health. Due to an excess of phosphates in the body, calcium absorption is impaired, which, in turn, leads to the deposition of calcium and phosphorus in the kidneys, and contributes to the development of osteoporosis. With a single overdose of the E451 supplement, a person may experience indigestion.

The triphosphate is hydrolyzed in the intestine into smaller units (orthophosphates), which in large quantities can cause metabolic acidosis.

As a result of studies of polyphosphates, it was found that when using the E451 additive, no mutagenic effects are observed. Also, animal studies have shown that the addition of E451 does not affect reproductive functions, fertility and offspring, as well as the growth or survival of offspring.

In the food industry, the E451 additive is used as a stabilizer, acidity regulator, color fixative, and antioxidant. Triphosphates are used in the manufacture of special drinks for athletes, soft drinks. Additive E451 is added to sterile and pasteurized milk, ice cream, young cheeses, sour cream butter, beaten egg mixture for omelettes and other egg products. Food additive E451 is used in the manufacture of pasta, dry soups, minced fish, syrups, decorative products (for example, icing), sandwich margarine, confectionery. In addition, food additive E451 is widely used in canning crustaceans, processing fresh and frozen fish, baking various muffins, cakes and other muffins.

Additive E451 can be used in products both on its own and in special mixtures in combination with other stabilizers.

In addition to the food industry, triphosphates are widely used in the production of household chemicals and cosmetics.

Additive E451 is approved for use in the food industry of the Russian Federation. Also, the E451 additive is included in the list of permitted food additives in Ukraine.