Ready-to-eat is food, which anybody can unpack and directly serve to eat as there is no need to cook. So it is very convenient for consumers to save their time and satisfy the taste buds too.
In today’s fast world, it is needed by, especially, the woman who steps out for job. It is also convenient when you are travelling, or when you do not have time to cook tiffin for office, or for bachelors as it is convenient. So it is accepted worldwide and therefore, the increased need to add preservatives in ready-to-eat food is more.
Many manufacturing companies, nowadays, in the market are supplying RTE. From manufacturer to doorstep of consumers, it will take time to reach through various intermediate chains like dealer, shopkeepers and mall.
Preservatives are chemical substances added to food to help
• Prevent spoilage caused by chemical changes like oxidation, or the growth of mild or bacteria
• Acts as an emulsifying agent and stabilising agent
• Also help to maintain freshness and consistency
• Humectants, substances that absorb moisture to retain moisture content in products
• maintain the food’s nutritional quality
Preservatives containing products like smoked fish, meat, ketchups, packed juices, baked goods, spreads and jams.
Preservatives are human-made or synthetic are commonly used in food products. There are many different types of preservatives like Benzoic acid, Calcium Sorbate, Erythorbic Acid, Potassium Nitrate and Sodium Benzoate. Some act like antioxidants used for slowing down spoilage like Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butylated Hydroxy anisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT). Preservatives used to maintain moisture and softness are known as anti-staling agents like glycerol monostearate.
Harmful effects of preservatives
• Trigger breathing problems like asthma, bronchitis or some allergies
• Increase hyperactivity in children , changes in behaviour
• Can weaken heart tissues
• Are carcinogenic if used in large amount
• Can increase the chances of obesity, hypertension elevated levels of insulin, heart diseases, obesity, fatigue, depression, breast cancer, and osteoporosis.
• Increase the resistance to antibiotics
Cutting down preservatives completely is impossible but making sure by reading labels, the quantity and content of preservatives is more important. Many preservatives allowed to some extent to use in food products but beyond that it is harmful so reading the labels on the products is a good practice so we get to know what we are consuming.
Avoiding preservatives in RTEs
Many methods that are used to preserve food without preservatives like curing, freezing, dehydrating, canning, jellying and fermentation. Also nowadays some packaging material increases shelf life of food and ensures that the product is fresh, tasty and as wholesome as when it was packed, such kind of packaging will help to reduce the use of preservatives to keep diseases at bay. Manufacturers can also use natural food preservatives which are available abundantly.
Some natural preservatives
• Sugar helps food get rid of water and microorganism, and
• Salt helps to preserve your food in a healthier way as it soaks up water that may lead to the growth of microbes, acts as an antioxidant and prevents oxidation of food,
• Vinegar made from fermented sugar acts as an effective preservative, also kills microbes and inhibits spoilage and enhances the taste of product,
• Citrus juice prevents spoiling of food and acts as an antioxidant and prevents oxidation of food
(The author is Dietician, Health Department, Government of Maharashtra. She can be contacted at shitalchole@gmail.com)