Pizzas
Industries can only use ADDITIVES approved by the governmental authorities who regulate the food and beverage sector. In Brazil, ANVISA authorizes the use of food additives within strict conditions and limits considered as safe.
Additives are used for several reasons, among them, to improve the flavor, keep the products freshness, texture, and appearance, in addition to ensure safety in the consumption. Additives are used in truly little quantities in relation to the whole dough and are not generally used for all the companies. In the Ital study about industrialized pizzas, the additives observed in the sample were:
DYES
In a sampling of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- 52 products do not use dyes.
- 4 products are added with natural dyes; 1 product uses synthetic dyes similar to natural dyes and no product uses artificial dyes.
Functions of the DYES used:
NATURAL DYES (curcuma, cochineal carmine, and urucum): obtained from vegetables or, eventually, from animal. Used to reestablish the product original appearance after the production process, make the food visually more attractive and give or reinforce the colors already present.
SYNTHETIC DYES IDENTICAL TO NATURAL: obtained from organic synthesis and that are found in natural products. Used to reestablish the product original appearance after the production process, make the food visually more attractive and give or reinforce the colors already present.
ARTIFICIAL DYES: obtained from organic synthesis and are not found in natural products. Used to reestablish the product original appearance after the production process, make the food visually more attractive and give or reinforce the colors already present.
Legislation
Great part of dyes do not have ADI established, that is, they should be added in the quantity enough to obtain the desired technological effect (quantum satis). In those in which ADI has been established, the maximum quantity allowed varies form 0.001 to 0.05 g/100 g.
FLAVORINGS
In a study of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- 53 products do not use flavorings.
- 3 products use natural dyes and no product uses synthetic dyes identical to natural or artificial dyes.
Functions of the FLAVORINGS used:
NATURAL AROMAS/u>: obtained by microbiological, physical or enzymatic methods, from natural raw materials. Used to define, highlight and/or give flavor to the food.
SYNTHETIC AROMA IDENTICAL TO NATURAL: obtained by synthesis or isolated by chemical processes from animal-based, plant-based or microbial raw materials that present a chemical structure identical to the substances present in the referred raw materials. Used to define, highlight and/or give flavor to the food.
ARTIFICIAL AROMAS: obtained from synthesis, which still has not been identified in animal-based, plant-based or microbial products. Used to define, highlight and/or give flavor to the food.
Legislation
These additives do not have ADI established, that is it should be added in a quantity enough to obtain the desired technological function (quantum satis).
SWEETENERS
In the sample of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- 7 of the products use natural sweeteners.
Functions of the SWEETENERS used:
STEVIOL GLYCOSIDES: are natural components of Stevia rebaudiana. Used to replace sugars to provide options to reduce, lower, or no addition of sugar.
Legislation
The esteviol glycosides, as well as great part of sweeteners, do not have IDA established, that is, it should be added in the quantity enough to obtain the desired technological effect (quantum satis). In those in which ADI has been established, the maximum quantity allowed varies form 0 to 15 mg/Kg of the body weight.
THICKENERS / STABILIZERS
In a study of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- 41 products do not use thickeners/stabilizers.
- It was used carrageenan gum (1 product); sodium hexametaphosphate (1) e sodium tripolyphosphate (1).
Functions of the THICKENERS/STABILIZERS used:
CARRAGEENAN (INS 407): hydrocolloid extracted from sea grass of speciesKappaphycus alvarezii. Used in preparation of chicken breast (filling) to stabilize the curing injection.
SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE (INS 452i): chemical compound of sodium and phosphor. Used in preparation of chicken breast (filling) to improve the water binding in the meat protein, helping in the marinating.
SODIUM TRIPOLYPHOSPHATE (INS 451i): chemical compound formed of sodium and phosphor. Used in preparation of chicken breast (filling) as stabilizer agent that helps maintaining the product desired structure.
Legislation
Great part of these additives do not have ADI established, that is, they should be added in the quantity enough to obtain the desired technological effect (quantum satis). In those in which ADI has been established, the maximum quantity allowed varies form 0.001 to 0.1 g/100 g.
EMULSIFIERS / STABILIZERS
In a study of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- Emulsifiers/stabilizers used: polysorbate 80 (15 products); sodium stearate (1); fatty acids esters with polyglycerol (1); sodium stearoyl-2-lactil lactate (11); fatty acids mono and diglycerides (1).
Functions of the EMULSIFIERS/STABILIZERS used:
POLYSORBATE 80 (INS 433): chemically, it is the ethoxylate sorbitan monooleate. Used to increase the emulsions stability, making them more stable and homogeneous.
SODIUM STEREATE (INS 470): sodium salt originated form the stearic acid. Used to increase the emulsions stability, making them more stable and homogeneous.
FATTY ACIDS ESTERS WITH POLYGLYCEROL (INS 475): they are hybrid fats with side chains of fatty acids and a central polyglycerol skeleton. Used to increase the emulsions stability, making them more stable and homogeneous, and has a positive effect on palatability, and for presenting flavor and appearance of fats having positive effect in palatability.
SODIUM LACTATE STEAROYL-2-LACTIL (INS 481i): lactate ester sintered from fatty acid of food quality and lactic acid. Used to increase the emulsions stability making them more stable and homogeneous; react with proteins and reinforce the dough (increase of viscosity) and be an anti-hardening agent.
FATTY ACIDS MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES (INS 471): combination of glycerol with fatty acids. Used to increase the emulsions stability, making them more stable and homogeneous; improve an improvement in the aspect and increase the volume, and have an anti-hardening action.
Legislation
Great part of these additives do not have ADI established, that is, they should be added in the quantity enough to obtain the desired technological effect (quantum satis). In those in which ADI has been established, the maximum quantity allowed varies form 0.01 to 0.5 g/100 g.
ANTIOXIDANTS
In a study of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- 1 product uses antioxidant.
Functions of the the ANTIOXIDANT used:
SODIUM ISOASCORBATE (INS 316): salt from erythorbic acid. Used to prepare chicken breast (filling) to enhance the flavor stability similarly to ascorbic acid.
Legislation
The sodium isoascorbate, as well as great part of antioxidants, does not have ADI established, that is, it should be added in the quantity enough to obtain the desired technological effect (quantum satis). In those in which ADI has been established, the maximum quantity allowed varies form 0.02 to 0.05 g/100 g.
FLAVOR ENHANCERS
In a study of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- 2 products use monosodium glutamate.
Functions of the FLAVOR ENHANCERS use:
MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE </u)(INS 621): sodium salt from glutamic acid, non-essential amino acid with wide occurrence in the nature. Used in preparation of chicken breast (filling) to five the umami flavor.
Legislation
The flour enhancers normally used has an ADI established, that is, it should be added in a quantity enough to obtain the desired technological effect (quantum satis).
FLOUR ENHANCERS
In the sample of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- 18 products use -cysteine hydrochloride and 7 products use glutathione.
Functions of the WHEAT ENHANCERS used:
L-CYSTEINE HYDROCHLORIDE (INS 920): amino acid with a fundamental role in the protein tertiary structure maintenance, as it increases the molecular stability and the resistance to proteolysis and for that reason is used in the dough preparation.
GLUTATHIONE: tripeptide compound of glutamic acid, L-cysteine and glycine in the dough preparation.
Legislation
L-cysteine hydrochloride and the glutathione do not have ADI established, that is, it should be added in the quantity enough to obtain the desired technological effect (quantum satis). There are other flour enhancers that has IDA established, which maximum quantity allowed varies form 0.005 to 0.01 g/100 g.
PRESERVERS
In a study of 56 pizzas analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:
- 17 products use preservatives.
Functions of the PRESERVATIVES used:
POTASSIUM SORBATE (INS 202): sorbic acid salt, a chemical compound found in the nature.
CALCIUM PROPIONATE (INS 282): salt from propionic acid, organic compound found in the nature.
Legislation
Both preservatives have ADI established. The maximum quantity allowed is 0.2% of potassium sorbate (as sorbic acid) and 0.1% of calcium propionate (as propionic acid).
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