Phosphorus is a fairly common chemical element. It is widely found in nature, is present in food. Phosphorus is necessary for humans, as it is involved in many biological processes. But recently, this element began to enter the human body in large quantities, mainly in the form of phosphates - salts of phosphoric acid. They are found in detergents, detergents, toothpaste, shampoos, and many medicines. There are also dietary phosphates that are now being added to many prepared foods. They are considered safe in a certain dosage, but the problem is that people consume a large amount of such food, and too much phosphate enters the body with it.
What is phosphate
These compounds are salts of phosphoric acid. They are widely used in industry, mainly in the chemical and food. They are used for the production of fertilizers, washing powder, toothpastes, liquid soap and shampoo. In the food industry, several different phosphorus compounds are used. These are food additives that are labeled with names from E338 to E341, as well as E 450-452.
In reasonable dosages, these substances are not harmful to human health, but often they are added too much, exceeding the maximum permissible dosage. For example, the amount of dietary phosphate in sausage should not exceed 5 g per 1 kg, best of all - no more than 1-2 g. But some manufacturers do not take into account that a certain amount of these compounds was already in the meat before it was processed.
The chemical formula of phosphates is P2O5 plus some chemical element. Compounds with calcium, sodium, potassium or magnesium are commonly used. Ammonium phosphate is less common; it is mainly used in the production of yeast.
How phosphates affect health
Now about 80% of all finished food products contain phosphates. Scientists have been arguing about whether this is useful or harmful for several decades. On the one hand, phosphorus is important for the normal functioning of all organs and systems. It participates in metabolic processes, stabilizes the nervous system, and helps maintain a normal amount of energy.
Phosphorus is necessary for timely renewal of bone and muscle cells, kidneys and liver. Its compounds are involved in the production of certain hormones, digestive enzymes, vitamins and nucleic acids. In a natural way, salts of phosphoric acid enter the body from meat, herbs, legumes and grains.
But a large number of them in food and household chemicals can adversely affect health. For example, an increase in phosphate in drinking water can have a laxative effect and disrupt the intestinal microflora. And for children, such water acts excitingly, leading to hyperactivity.
Phosphates in the food industry
For many decades, phosphates have been used in food production. Due to the large number of useful properties, they are added to many semi-finished and finished products:
- for margarine and butter, they increase the shelf life;
- sugar provides a pure white color;
- added to the bakery as a stabilizer;
- in frozen vegetables help maintain color;
- keep soft in processed cheeses;
- improve the appearance of canned vegetables and fruits;
- in carbonated drinks serve as an acidifier;
- prevent the crystallization of condensed milk.
Most often, several phosphorus-based nutritional supplements can be found in foods. First of all, it is E339 or sodium phosphate. It is added to bread, confectionery, pastries, dairy products, meat and convenience foods. The chemical formula of sodium phosphate is Na 3 PO 4 , this compound serves as an acidity regulator, antioxidant and stabilizer.
Additive E340, or potassium phosphate, is used to retain moisture, fix the color, as an emulsifier and acidity regulator. Most often it can be found in sausages, sausage, meat semi-finished products. But there is also potassium phosphate in chips, instant coffee and pastries.
Food additives E 342 (ammonium phosphate) and E343 (magnesium phosphate) are used less frequently. But the most common phosphates are E450-452. Moreover, they are used not only in permissible quantities. Some manufacturers use these additives just in case, although for the same purpose it was possible to use, for example, the emulsifier E471, which is safer.
Dietary phosphates are now added to milk and dairy products, cheeses, margarine, ice cream, desserts, chewing gum. They are used for freezing vegetables and fruits, preserving, producing pasta, breakfast cereals and concentrates, meat and fish products. Phosphates are added even to baby food, as they are considered safe.
Phosphates in the meat industry
These compounds are especially common in the production of meat products. At the same time, acidic phosphates are included in the recipe for sausages. They perform many functions that help to improve the quality of the finished product, increase its shelf life and reduce production costs. They are considered safe for health, and add them to any sausage. This is done because phosphates have the following properties:
- enhance the ability of muscle tissue to bind water;
- have an emulsifying effect;
- reduce oxidative processes;
- improve the color of the finished product;
- soften the film, tendons and cartilage;
- possess antioxidant properties;
- have a small antimicrobial effect;
- serve as an additional preservative.
Most consumers do not suspect that they add sausages to the minced meat. In fact, in the presence of phosphates, you can dilute it with water, due to which the volume of the finished product increases by 2-4%. But this is beneficial to producers not only because of the increase in the amount of water in the sausage. Special phosphate mixtures can improve the quality of water added to minced meat, the consistency of meat. Using these additives makes it easier for manufacturers to work with large blocks of frozen meat, as well as meat at the rigor mortis stage.
Because of this, some manufacturers are trying to add more phosphate. But this does not improve the quality of the product, but can lead to a reduction in its shelf life, the appearance of a soap film on the cut and an unpleasant aftertaste. And this despite the fact that there are safer food additives, for example, emulsifier E471 or sodium citrate. They have almost the same properties, but do not harm health.
Pyrophosphates
This food supplement is labeled with the number E450. It has the properties of a stabilizer. This substance holds fluid well. It is pyrophosphates that are most often used in the meat industry in the production of sausages. They increase the volume of finished products, improve their color and slow down oxidation and increase shelf life. In addition, E450 is added to processed cheeses and some other dairy products, confectionery, juices, carbonated drinks, ice cream, concentrated soups.
This food supplement is approved for use in many countries, as it is considered safe. The chemical formula of sodium phosphate is Na 4 P2O 7 . This is a salt of pyrophosphoric acid. Its properties allow products to stay fresh longer, and also improve their palatability. But in large quantities, pyrophosphates can cause allergic reactions, indigestion, lead to the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels, and also increase blood pressure. Therefore, in the EU, this supplement is prohibited.
Triphosphates
The food supplement E451 is also often used, especially in the production of sausages. This is beneficial to manufacturers, as it allows you to increase the weight of the finished product by adding water. In addition, triphosphates are also added to bakery products, sterilized milk, flour, carbonated drinks, ice cream, processed cheese, butter, desserts, egg powder, milk powder, canned food and even salt. They are used to maintain a normal consistency of the product, fixing the color.
Sodium triphosphate and potassium triphosphate are used for these purposes. Add them to various food products in an amount up to 30 g per kg. Often they are mixed with other stabilizers or emulsifiers. And dangerous consequences for human health develop when exceeding the maximum allowable dosage - 70 g per kg of human body weight. Therefore, it is especially dangerous to use such products for young children.
In case of an overdose of triphosphates, a person may experience a strong allergic reaction, the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract becomes inflamed, and its work is disrupted. In children, this leads to insomnia and hyperactivity. In addition, a lack of calcium develops, which is expressed in the development of osteoporosis, brittle nails and tooth decay.
Polyphosphates
Food additives labeled E452 are used a little less often, since they are more dangerous to health. They are mainly used to stop the processes of decay and fermentation in finished products, most often in processed cheeses and dairy products. Polyphosphates slow down many chemical reactions, therefore, they can increase the shelf life of the product. But scientists found that these compounds can also interfere with metabolic processes in the human body, so many countries have banned the use of polyphosphates as dietary supplements. Most often they can be found in paints and varnishes, washing powders and other household detergents.
But polyphosphates are still used in the production of products as stabilizers, emulsifiers and thickeners. It is able to retain moisture and normalize the consistency of the product, so their use in the meat industry is beneficial. Polyphosphates are also often added to processed cheeses and canned foods.
Causes of Phosphate Overdose
Despite the fact that phosphorus is necessary for health, lately more and more often they speak not about its deficiency, but about excess. Almost everyone already knows what phosphates are, as they are added to most foods. Therefore, scientists have determined that an overdose of phosphoric acid salts now occurs 7-10 times. Normally, the balance of phosphorus and calcium in the body should be 1: 1. But most people get 1: 3. This leads to a lack of calcium.
The main reason for an overdose of phosphates is that most people do not know what they add to the stuffing, they do not read the composition of the products, written in small letters. Since now these substances are added everywhere, it turns out that the average person consumes too many of them. Even if in each product the phosphates do not exceed the permissible norm, but combining different foods, a person eats too many of them. A large amount of phosphate enters the body in such cases:
- when consuming excess meat and meat products;
- with a passion for fast food and sugary sodas;
- when consuming a large amount of canned food;
- with organic disturbance of calcium-phosphorus metabolism;
- with a lack of magnesium-rich foods — brown bread, bran, dried fruits, oatmeal, buckwheat;
- with prolonged skin contact with phosphorus compounds.
The effects of an overdose of phosphates
A large amount of dietary phosphate leads to an overdose of phosphorus. Because of this, the amount of calcium in bones and teeth is reduced. Osteoporosis, caries develops, convulsions often occur. Even in a middle-aged person, bones can become brittle, and in old people after fractures they do not grow together for a long time.
An overdose of phosphates leads to an increased risk of heart failure, the occurrence of myocardial infarction. Due to the violation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism, deposition of calcium salts occurs on the walls of blood vessels, joints and spine. And since these trace elements are excreted by the kidneys, urolithiasis develops. In addition, the liver, gastrointestinal tract, lungs are disturbed, the output of bile is difficult, the nervous system is unbalanced.
Health hazard for children and adolescents
Especially strong dietary phosphates affect the children's body. In addition to allergic reactions due to an overdose of phosphorus, mental disorders are possible. Nervousness, hyperactivity, motor anxiety develops. The child becomes uncontrollable, restless, impulsive or even aggressive. His concentration of attention decreases, learning ability and ability to socialize worsen, sleep is disturbed.
In addition, a large amount of dietary phosphate leads to a violation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism. Phosphoric acid, which is found in sweet carbonated drinks, is especially harmful in this regard. It leaches calcium from bones, leading to abnormalities in the formation of the skeleton. Studies have determined that more than half of adolescents have low bone density, and in infants, rickets are increasingly being diagnosed. All of this could have been avoided by eating phosphate-free foods.