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One of the main foods that is present in the diet of almost every person is meat. Protein is essential for the body. This is food of natural origin. But in order to preserve the smell and give the meat a beautiful color, manufacturers use the E250 food additive.
What is the additive E250
The E250 additive is usually called sodium nitrate. This name is fixed by GOST.
There are also other names:
- sodium nitrogen;
- nitrate curing mixture;
- sodium salt of nitrous acid.
The additive belongs to the category of preservatives. With this component, it is possible to fix the color. The additive is used not only in industry, but also at home. You just need to be careful when applying.
E250 is presented in the form of a fine crystalline powder of a whitish or yellowish tint. Odorless. It goes well with water. But it does not dissolve well in ethyl alcohol. Differs in a sour-bitter taste and hygroscopicity.
Refers to toxic substances with mutagenic effects. With a large intake, it begins to accumulate in tissue and cell structures.
What is the preservative E250 made of?
Food additive E250 is a sodium salt of nitrous acid. It is obtained after the treatment of caustic soda with nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Due to the presence of oxygen, nitrite and nitrate are formed. Subsequently, these substances are separated.
The benefits and harms of E250 preservative
Many people increasingly began to think about the effect of the E250 food additive on the body. This component is considered toxic, but no harm is observed when consumed in small quantities. The food additive can be found not only in commercial meats or fish, but also in spinach.
But doctors advise to revise their menu for lovers of fried bacon and other smoked products. During heating, a chemical reaction occurs between sodium nitrate and an ammonia derivative. This leads to the formation of organic carcinogens.
American scientists conducted many studies, from which they found that derivatives of the food additive E250 promote the development of malignant tumors in the intestinal canal and pancreas.
You can weaken the carcinogenic effect on the body if you eat foods with an antioxidant effect. Some types of vitamins can also help - ascorbic acid, retinol and tocopherol.
Of course, there is no benefit from the E250. Therefore, it is better to exclude the use of a food additive altogether. But for this you will have to give up sausages, smoked meat and fish.
E250 food additive is dangerous or not
Manufacturers claim that the preservative itself is not hazardous to human health. Toxic properties appear when the conditions of use are not followed.
E250 is added to sausages. When cooked, carcinogens are formed in the product, the use of which leads to cancer of the digestive tract and lungs.
Exceeding the norm can lead to:
- to the formation of methemoglobin in the blood and further oxygen starvation of tissues;
- to damage to the central nervous system;
- to liver intoxication;
- to irritation of the mucous membranes;
- to diseases of the respiratory system.
Regular consumption of meat and fish products contributes to the occurrence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and blood pressure disorders.
The risk zone includes people who suffer from problems with the work of the digestive tract - dysbiosis, cholecystitis, gastric ulcer.
Sodium nitrate is considered a toxic inorganic additive. When ingested in large quantities, a mutagenic, carcinogenic and general toxic effect on the body is observed.
Experiments were carried out on rats. Animals that took sodium nitrate in a dosage greater than 180 mg per 1 kg of body weight died. But the critical dosage for humans is 0.5 g per use. This also applies to the systematic use of the additive, since it has the ability to accumulate in tissues and cells.
Where and why is the food additive E250 added?
Sodium nitrate is widely used in the food industry as a preservative and antibacterial additive. It allows you to extend the shelf life, protect the food from bacteria and give it a beautiful color. Also, the component acts as an antioxidant. The food additive is introduced into sausages, smoked fish, meat products, canned food and semi-finished products.
E250 is also found in dairy products - hard cheeses and feta cheese. This prevents the mass from swelling.
Sodium nitrate is used not in pure form, but in the form of ready-made curing solutions, the concentration of which does not exceed 2.5%.
In European countries, E250 is added only to table salt, while the volume does not exceed 0.6%.
The preservative is used:
- in the construction industry for bonding concrete;
- in the chemical and textile industries for dyeing and the production of artificial dyes;
- for printing photos as an antioxidant and reagent;
- in the medical field as an auxiliary component of antispasmodics, vasodilators and laxatives, antidotes for cyanide poisoning.
It is worth remembering that only a substance in a small dose and with irregular use does not harm the body.
Conclusion
Food additive E250 is considered one of the toxic components. It is added to meat, fish, cheese and sausages. Of course, you won't be able to completely eliminate these foods from your diet. But you can reduce their use at times. To do this, you need to constantly study the composition of the products.
