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Latest research shows that the constant exposure to a wide range of  harmful toxins present in many foods can trigger a food allergy over time. Even if a food allergy can be triggered by foods that have not been exposed to harmful chemicals, it can also be triggered by something that does not occur naturally in a food, namely an additive. Additives are used in order to replace all the nutrients that have been lost during food processing or to add extra nutrients to a particular type of food. Also, they can be used as preservatives that can retard spoilage or as antioxidants that can prevent a food from turning rancid. Other additives are used in order to improve the consistency or texture of a food by making it more free-flowing, smoother or thicker. The ingredients from a food can be prevented from separating by using additives. All the things listed above are the main reasons why we find additives in most of our daily foods. However, most of them are likely to be used in small amounts and you will not be affected by them unless you are keen on consuming really huge amounts of that particular foods. But once you have identified that you have a particular sensitivity or specific allergy to the additives from your food, you will have to avoid eating foods that contain those additives. Here are the main food additives that may become allergenic. Coloring agents are among the most used food additives – there are plenty of artificial and natural coloring agents that are used in cooking. Some of the coloring agents that are most likely to become allergens are carmine, saffron and annatto. Saffron may cause anaphylaxis while annatto extract may cause urticaria and anaphylaxis too. Carmine can also trigger allergic reactions. Food emulsifiers are mainly used in order to make foods thicker and more viscose. Even the natural emulsifiers such as yolk, honey or egg are based on a common constituent lecithin – this constituent is the one that may trigger the most common food allergies. Vegetable gums are used just like the common food emulsifiers and many of them are already infamous for managing to aggravate allergic reactions, bronchitis and asthma. Natural food preservatives are used in order to prevent foods from becoming rancid. Usually, they are harmless food additives but among them, there are some preservatives that can trigger allergic reactions - nitrates, benzonites and sulfites. Among the most frequent allergic reactions they trigger are anaphylaxis, urticaria, flushing, itching, asthma and allergic rhinitis.
Photo – Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/selena_sheridan/4571313799/
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