Healthy Feeding And Eating Practices II
HOME ECONOMICS JSS1 FIRST TERM
WEEK TEN
THEME: FAMILY LIVING AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/CLOTHING AND TEXTILE FOOD AND FOODS AND NUTRITION.
Healthy Feeding And Eating Practices II
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE:
Students should be able to;
- Identify food additive and harmful substances that should not be taken into the body.
- State the effect of harmful substances in the body.
CONTENT
Food is any substance that we take into the body. It is a very essential factor for our day to day lives. We need food to:
-
- Be healthy
- Be able to carry out our daily activities
- To fortify our body system
- For growth and development
- To curb diseases.
However, there are some things which are added to our food even while we cook or eat them. These things can either be harmful or beneficial to our health. They are called Food contaminants when they are harmful to our body or Food additives when they are beneficial to the body.
FOOD ADDITIVE
A food additive is any of the various chemical substances added to foods to produce specific desirable effects. Additives such as salt, spices, and sulfites have been used since ancient times to preserve foods and make them more palatable. With the increased processing of foods in the 20th century, there came a need for both the greater use of and new types of food additives. Many modern products, such as low-calorie, snack, and ready-to-eat convenience foods, would not be possible without food additives.
Types of food additives
The different types of food additive and their uses include:
i. Anti-caking agents – stop ingredients from becoming lumpy.
ii. Antioxidants – prevent foods from oxidising, or going rancid.
iii. Artificial sweeteners – increase the sweetness.
iv. Emulsifiers – stop fats from clotting together.
v. Food acids – maintain the right acid level.
vi. Colours – enhance or add colour.
vii. Humectants – keep foods moist.
viii. Flavours – add flavour.
ix. Flavour enhancers – increase the power of a flavour.
x. Foaming agents – maintain uniform aeration of gases in foods.
xi. Mineral salts – enhance texture and flavour.
xii. Preservatives – stop microbes from multiplying and spoiling the food.
xiii. Thickeners and vegetable gums – enhance texture and consistency.
xiv. Stabilisers and firming agents – maintain even food dispersion.
xv. Flour treatment – improves baking quality.
xvi. Glazing agent – improves the appearance and can protect food.
xvii. Gelling agents – alter the texture of foods through gel formation.
xviii. Propellants – help propel food from a container.
xix. Raising agents – increase the volume of food through the use of gases.
xx. Bulking agents – increase the volume of food without major changes to its available energy.
Why Are Food Additives Used?
Frequently, food companies use food additives in order to ensure that their products are stable and uniform. Most food we buy at the grocery store isn't very fresh, and one thing about food is that it never stays good for very long; so in this day and age where most of the food we eat is not fresh, food additives are added abundantly. There are many other reasons for food additives being used as well.
Food additives can be used as a preservative, no-calorie sweetener, colour, flavour, fat replacer, nutrient addition, emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener, pH control, leavening, anti-caking agent, humectant (to hold in moisture), dough strengthener, and enzyme preparation.
Misuse of food additives
Food additives such as colourant, sweetener, and flavour enhancer are often misused in street food. They are frequently used in excessive amount, resulting in a concentration above its maximum level. Street food vendors do not pay much attention to the label and instruction to use the additive. This can cause potential harm in the body. Some harm it can cause when misused include:
a. Digestive disorders – diarrhoea and colicky pains.
b. Nervous disorders – hyperactivity, insomnia and irritability.
c Respiratory problems – asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis.
d. Skin problems – hives, itching, rashes and swelling.
DETECTION OF FOOD ADDITIVES
Food additives need to be checked for potential harmful effects on human health before they can be used.
1. Label
To check what additives are in foods, read the label. All food ingredients, including any additives, must be listed on the label of a food. The ingredients are listed in descending order of ingoing weight. Food additives are grouped into classes according to their function.
2. Class name
Food additives are grouped into classes according to their function. For example, all colour additives are used to colour food. Some food additives have more than one use. It can be used as an antioxidant, and also as an emulsifier. Where an additive is capable of being classified in more than one class, the most appropriate class name is used on the label of a food. In some cases there are optional or alternative class names For example, some thickeners can also be called modified starches. Some additives do not have a legally defined class name.
3. Code numbers
Most food additives have code numbers. Code numbers use less space on labels than names of additives. They also help avoid the confusion caused by some additives having more than one name, or additives with similar names. Enzymes and flavours are not required to be specifically named, or identified with code numbers. These additives are required to be labelled by their class name only. Some code numbers may have an “E” in front of them. This means that the food is labelled for the European Union market.
Note that Vitamins and minerals are not classified as additives, under the Food Standards Code. Some vitamins and minerals have a code number, however, as they are also used as food additives. An example of this is Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which is an antioxidant but can also be added as a vitamin to some foods.
FOOD CONTAMINANTS
Food contamination is generally defined as foods that are spoiled or tainted because they either contain microorganisms, such as bacteria or parasites, or toxic substances that make them unfit for consumption. A food contaminant can be biological, chemical or physical in nature, with the former being more common. These contaminants have several routes throughout the supply chain (farm to fork) to enter and make a food product unfit for consumption.
Chemical food contaminants that can enter the food supply chain include pesticides, heavy metals, and other alien chemical agents. Therefore, the consumption of contaminated foods causes illness in millions of people and many die as a result of it. This scenario makes “food contamination” a serious issue.
TYPES OF FOOD CONTAMINANTS
There are a number of reasons that can lead to food contamination. However, food contamination falls under four different categories which are:
- Biological contamination
- Chemical contamination
- Physical contamination
- Cross-contamination
A.BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION
Biological contamination is one of the common causes of food poisoning as well as spoilage. Contamination of food items by other living organisms is known as biological food contamination. During biological contamination, the harmful bacteria spread on foods that you consume. Even a single bacterium can multiply very quickly when they find ideal growth conditions. Not just bacteria, but also their process of multiplying can be quite harmful to humans. The common places where you can find bacteria are:
- Dust
- Raw meat
- The air
- The human body
- Pets and pests
- Clothes of food handler
- Kitchen clothes
The best way to avoid food contamination is by washing the food items with a vegetable and fruit cleaner and wash the kitchen cloths on a regular basis.
B. PHYSICAL CONTAMINATION
When harmful objects contaminate the food it leads to physical contamination. At times, food items can have both physical and biological contamination. Physical contaminants such as rats, hair, pests, glass or metals, which can contaminate food and make it unhealthy. Some of the safety tips that you can follow when handling food items to prevent food contamination are:
- Hair-Tie your hair when handling food
- Glass or Metal-Clean away cracked or broken crockery and utensils to avoid contamination
- Fingernails-Keep your fingernails short or wear clean gloves when handling food
- Dirt-Wash fruits and vegetables with a Vegetable and Fruit Cleaner to remove dirt
- Jewellery-Wear minimum jewellery when preparing food
C. CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS
Chemical contaminants are one of the serious sources of food contamination. These contaminants can also lead to food poisoning. Pesticides present in fruits and vegetables are one of the main sources of contamination. In addition, kitchen cleaning agents, food containers made of non-safe plastic, pest control products also lead to food contamination. Though we make it a point to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, however, plain water can’t remove all the contaminants. Some kitchen appliance uses ozone disinfection technology that removes contaminants from the surface of the fruits and vegetables to make it safe for consumption.
D. CROSS-CONTAMINATION
This type of contamination can lead to a number of health problems. Cross-contamination takes place when pathogens are transported from any object that you use in the kitchen. Dirty kitchen clothes, unclean utensils, pests, raw food storage can lead to cross-contamination. Here are some of the ways to avoid cross-contamination:
- Personal Hygiene- Thoroughly wash your hands and face when handling food. Coughing, sneezing or even touching your hair can lead to cross-contamination
- Utensils- Use separate utensils to prepare different types of foods. Avoid using the same chopping board and knife for ready to eat foods
- Storing Food- Make sure raw foods don’t come in contact with ready to eat foods. Cover and store raw foods below cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination.
- Disposing Waste- Make sure you store and seal garbage correctly to prevent cross-contamination. Clean and sanitize the waste bins to prevent infestation risk.
Examples of some harmful food
1. Sugary drinks
Added sugar is one of the worst ingredients in the modern diet. However, some sources of sugar are worse than others, and sugary drinks are particularly harmful.
Alternatives
Drink water, soda water, coffee, or tea instead. Adding a slice of lemon to water or soda water can provide a burst of flavour.
2. Most pizzas
Pizza is one of the world’s most popular junk foods.
Most commercial pizzas are made with unhealthy ingredients, including the highly refined dough and heavily processed meat. Pizza also tends to be extremely high in calories.
Alternatives
Some restaurants offer healthier ingredients. Homemade pizzas can also be very healthy, as long as you choose wholesome ingredients.
3. White bread
Most commercial bread are unhealthy if eaten in large amounts, as they’re made from refined wheat, which is low in fibre and essential nutrients and may lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar
Alternatives
Whole-grain bread is healthier than white bread.
4. Most fruit juices
Fruit juice is often assumed to be healthy. While juice contains some antioxidants and vitamin C, it also packs high amounts of liquid sugar. In fact, fruit juice harbours just as much sugar as sugary drinks like Coke or Pepsi — and sometimes even more.
Some fruit juices have been shown to have health benefits despite their sugar content, such as pomegranate and blueberry juices.
However, these should be considered occasional supplements, not an everyday part of your diet.
5. Sweetened breakfast cereals
Breakfast cereals are processed cereal grains, such as wheat, oats, rice, and corn.
They’re especially popular among children and frequently eaten with milk.
To make them more palatable, the grains are roasted, shredded, pulped, rolled, or flaked. They’re generally high in added sugar.
The main downside of most breakfast cereals is their high added sugar content. Some are so sweet that they could even be compared to candy.
Alternatives
Choose breakfast cereals that are high in fibre and low in added sugar.
6. Fried, grilled, or broiled food
Frying, grilling, and broiling are among the unhealthiest cooking methods.
Foods cooked in these ways are often highly palatable and calorie-dense. Several types of unhealthy chemical compounds also form when food is cooked under high heat.
These include acrylamides, acrolein, heterocyclic amines, oxysterols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and advanced glycation end products (AGEs).
Alternatives
To improve your health, choose milder and healthier cooking methods, such as boiling, stewing, blanching, and steaming
7. Pastries, cookies, and cakes
Most pastries, cookies, and cakes are unhealthy if eaten in excess.
Packaged versions are generally made with refined sugar, refined wheat flour, and added fats. Shortening, which may be high in unhealthy trans fats, is sometimes added.
These treats might be tasty, but they have almost no essential nutrients, copious calories, and many preservatives.
Alternatives
If you cannot stay away from dessert, spring for better yoghurt, fresh fruit, or dark chocolate.
8. French fries and potato chips
Whole, white potatoes are very healthy. However, the same cannot be said of French fries and potato chips. These foods are very high in calories, and it’s easy to eat excessive amounts. Several studies link French fries and potato chips to weight gain.
Alternatives
Potatoes are best consumed boiled, not fried. If you need something crunchy to replace potato chips, try baby carrots or nuts.
9. Stale foods
Stale foods are foods that are spoilt and very unhealthy to take into the body.
Nutritive value of foodstuff decreases with time (e.g vitamin content of fruits & vegetables decreases over a period of time)
Microbial growth can lead to the development of toxins in food, which can cause food poisoning. rate of microbial growth is dependent on various factors such as moisture content of food (free water activity), storage conditions, type of packaging etc.
Alternatives
Food should be eaten as fresh as possible to get all its health benefits.