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Nitrates and nitrites

Nitrates and nitrites (September 2011) Nitrates and nitrites occur naturally in plant foods as part of the nitrogen cycle between air, land and water environments. Most of our dietary exposure to nitrates and nitrites is through fruit and vegetables. Eating fruit and vegetables is widely recommended due to the strong evidence of beneficial health effects against a range of diseases. Nitrates and nitrites have also been used as food additives in cured meats and some cheeses for many years, primarily to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Adding nitrites or nitrates improves the microbiological safety of these foods and extends their safe shelf life. In the past, some concerns have been raised about possible health risks associated with nitrates and nitrites in foods. To estimate Australians'…

Published 10 May 2018

Colours and food additives reported as banned

Colours and food additives reported as banned Sometimes colours and other food additives are reported as “banned” in some countries but permitted in Australia and New Zealand. A lack of permission in a country is not the same thing as a ban. It may mean manufacturers have never sought permission to use the additive, usually because alternatives are approved. Sometimes additives are not approved because of circumstances unique to a country (e.g. different dietary exposure). Different countries also have their own food regulatory systems and legislation. This can mean an additive may have been banned many years ago, however scientific evidence since then has proven it is safe. For example, there is legislation in the US that prevents permission of…

Published 15 September 2021

Additives and processing aids

Additives and processing aids In this section

Steviol glycosides (960) (intense sweetener) (stevia)

Steviol glycosides (960) (intense sweetener) (stevia) (April 2023) Steviol glycosides are a type of intense sweetener usually made from the leaves of the Stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) but they can also be produced using other methods. Steviol glycosides are around 150-300 times sweeter than sugar, and only a small amount is needed to match the sweetness of regular sugar. The Food Standards Code allows steviol glycosides to be added to certain foods as a food additive. There are three approved ways to produce steviol glycosides in Australia and New Zealand:

  1. Extraction directly from the leaves of the stevia plant, followed by concentration and purification.
  2. Use of enzymes to convert stevia leaf extract into…

    Published 7 August 2023

Intense Sweeteners

Intense Sweeteners Intense sweeteners are many times sweeter than sugar which means they can be used in much smaller amounts. They are classed as food additives and added to foods to replace sugar to provide low or lower energy/kilojoule foods or foods that are reduced in sugar or sugar-free. Some intense sweeteners occur naturally in some plants and can be extracted to produce a highly concentrated extract.  Examples are steviol glycosides extracted from the South American plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni (stevia) and monk fruit extract (also called luo han guo extract) which is derived from the fruit of a perennial vine native to southern China. FSANZ, together with the Ministry for Primary Industries in New Zealand recently conducted a review of all the intense sweeteners…

Published 5 April 2023

Table of food additive permissions in the US and Europe

Table of food additive permissions in the US and Europe (December 2012) The table below provides information on the most often cited examples of additives banned in the United States or Europe. All the food additives listed in the tables below have been allocated a codex Alimentarius food additive name and number (INS stands for International Numbering System) as listed in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. In cases where manufacturers have never sought permission to use an additive this is noted as “no permission sought”. Colours INS Number Name (Food Standards Code) US name US permission1 EU permission2 102 Tartrazine FD+C Yellow No 5 CFR §74.705 Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 104 Quinoline yellow FCF D+C Yellow No 10 X food Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 110…

Published 22 March 2013

Sulphites

Sulphites (February 2019) Sulphites are naturally occurring minerals that have a long history of use in foods. They naturally occur in some foods but are widely used as a food additive to prevent microbial spoilage and preserve colour. Cordials, dried fruit, sausages and wine are some of the foods that commonly contain sulphites. International scientific committees and FSANZ have thoroughly investigated the safety of sulphites and concluded that for most people sulphites are safe. However some sulphite-sensitive people, many of whom also have asthma, may react to sulphites with allergy-like symptoms. Following surveys of levels of sulphites in foods in Australia and New Zealand, FSANZ evaluated whether there were any issues with those levels and exposure. We concluded that there was a…

Published 15 February 2019

Acrylamide and food

Acrylamide and food What is acrylamide? Acrylamide is a chemical that can form when certain starchy foods are cooked or processed. While there's no direct evidence that acrylamide can cause cancer in humans, there is evidence it can cause cancer in laboratory animals. Read more about this evidence. Therefore, FSANZ believes that it is prudent to reduce our exposure to acrylamide in food. How are Australians and New Zealanders exposed to acrylamide? Acrylamide has been detected in a range of foods including fried or roasted potato products, cereal-based products (including sweet biscuits and toasted bread) and coffee. Estimated dietary exposures of Australian consumers to acrylamide in food were investigated as…

Published 1 November 2018

Arsenic

Arsenic (January 2020) Arsenic is a chemical element found in water, air, food and soil as a naturally occurring substance or due to contamination from human activity. Arsenic occurs in organic and inorganic forms. The organic forms are of relatively low toxicity while the inorganic forms present a greater hazard. Both forms of arsenic appear naturally in soil and ground  water and as such, their presence (in extremely low levels) in foods is unavoidable. Monitoring arsenic levels in food FSANZ and other Australian and New Zealand government agencies continuously monitor the food supply to ensure it is safe and that foods comply with standards for chemical contamination. Our most recent Australian Total Diet Study investigated total and…

Published 24 January 2020

Benzene in flavoured beverages

Benzene in flavoured beverages (April 2013) Benzene is a common industrial chemical used in manufacturing plastics and some types of rubbers, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires. It is also found in crude oil, petrol and cigarette smoke. Benzene may also be found in non-alcoholic beverages including soft drinks at very low levels. Why is benzene in some beverages? Benzene can form at very low levels in beverages that contain both ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium benzoate. Ascorbic acid occurs naturally in fruit and juices and may also be added as an antioxidant, while sodium benzoate is added to prevent spoilage. Low levels of benzene can be formed due to chemical reactions of these substances.  What is the beverage industry doing to reduce…

Published 24 June 2014