Food supplement E1442 - what is it? Its effect on the body

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Modern grocery stores offer a huge range of food in different price categories. Freedom of choice is not absolute, as it might seem at first glance. He althy people are getting smaller every year. The reason for this is our food. Various food additives, including E1442, are increasingly found in the composition of products. Not everyone knows what it is and how this substance affects our body. What foods contain this food supplement? Let's try to figure it out.

E1442 - what is it?

E1422 - an additive related to modified starches. Its chemical name is hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate. Cross-linked hydroxypropylated distarch phosphate is another name for E1442. What it is? The additive is widely used in the food industry as an emulsifier or thickener. At its core, it is the most common starch usedin the manufacture of food products, which has modified initial characteristics. E1442 - fine-grained white powder of a yellow tint.

Delivery method

Additive E1442 is created in the laboratory using the esterification reaction of common food starch. This requires sodium trimetaphosphate (or phosphorus oxychloride) and propylene oxide. During the esterification reaction, the individual structural groups of the starch molecule are combined (“crosslinked”). This leads to the fact that the modified starch has better properties than the conventional one. Often, starch obtained from genetically modified corn is used for the production of additives. If modified starch is added, then food products do not lose their taste properties during defrosting and freezing, they have a more uniform texture and color. Also, the additive is more stable in alkaline and acid environments.

Are there acceptable consumption rates?

Thickener E1442 is allowed to be added to various food products, while the daily intake of its consumption has not been determined. But there are standards for different product categories:

1. No more than 10 g per 1 kg for canned carrots.
2. Up to 20 for canned sardines and similar products.
3. Up to 60 - for canned mackerel and analogues.
4. Up to 10 for flavored fermented dairy products and yoghurts in combination with other similar additives.

Application

E1442 is a food additive that is allowed not only in Russia, but also in some European countries, the USA, New Zealand, Australia. In the dairy industry, it is used in the manufacture of sweet cheese curds, cream, as well as yoghurts and ice cream, since it allows you to achieve a viscous consistency of the final product. The production of instant food (various soups, sauces) and canned food (mainly fish, vegetables, fruits) also cannot do without modified starch.

Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate absorbs water well and dissolves well in it. As a thickener, this substance may well be used in the production of various mortars and mixtures. Modified starch can be used in the oil and gas industry as a component of lubricating and cooling solutions for drilling equipment. Thickener E1442 is also used at various technological stages of production in the pulp and paper industry. It is also possible to use this substance in the textile sector, as it is resistant to mechanical stress and high temperatures.

E1442: harmful or not?

E1442 is considered to be a safe and harmless additive. Is it really? First you need to figure out how it is digested in the body.

This substance, like the starch familiar to us, is easily processedthe human body. E1442, when interacting with water in the digestive tract, becomes glucose, and then absorbed by the body. As a result of the hydrolysis reaction of modified starch, a by-product, dextrin, is also formed. It is a polysaccharide, which is harmful to the body. Uncontrolled consumption of products containing this food supplement leads to a slowdown in the digestive process in the intestines. This can cause flatulence, nausea, and the development of stomach problems.

However, the effect of the additive on the human body is still unexplored. Excessive consumption of products with hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate can also provoke an enlarged appendix. Doctors do not recommend using such products for pregnant and lactating women, as well as using them in the diet of children of any age. Among other things, scientists know that modified starch can provoke the development of pancreatic diseases.

Modern food manufacturers claim that food additives are harmless, including E1442. What it is? This substance is a synthetic starch with improved characteristics. In fact, the additive is not completely harmless, as it can cause digestive diseases.