Technology-Health-And-Food-Production

Technological developments associated with better health & food production

• There are a range of methods and new technologies which can be used to not only reduce the negative impacts of foods, but to provide significant health benefits from their consumption

Cholesterol-lowering foods

• Some foods, such as spreads used as an alternative to butter, contain natural plant extracts proven to lower cholesterol

  • These plant extracts work by preventing cholesterol absorption during the digestive process

  • Frequent consumption of these foods can help to reduce the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries

  • This reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease which can lead to atherosclerosis and heart attacks

Fortified and enriched foods

• Adding vitamins to foods can increase the nutritional value

• Fortified foods are those which have had micronutrients added that would not usually be present in that food type

• Enriched foods are those which have had micronutrients added to replace those lost in processing

• Examples of foods that commonly have vitamins and minerals added are:

  • Flour has four key micronutrients that must be added during the final stages of milling the wheat

    • Enrichment of flour with vitamin B1 (thiamin) and vitamin B3 (niacin) is important to aid the release of energy from carbohydrates

    • Enrichment of flour with iron helps to prevent iron deficiency and anaemia

    • Fortification of flour with calcium is necessary to support bone growth and prevent rickets in children

  • Breakfast cereals are frequently fortified and enhanced, for example with folic acid and iron

    • This is a marketing strategy to make cereals more appealing to the consumer

  • Low-fat spreads such as margarine, have lower levels of vitamins A and D than butter due to processing, it is, therefore, a legal requirement that these vitamins are added

    • Vitamin A supports good eyesight, especially in dim light

    • Vitamin D aids the absorption of calcium, which is important in the prevention of rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults

Food additives

• Additives are controlled in the UK by the Food Standards Agency who investigate the safety of any additives that are to be used

• European legislation states that most additives should be clearly labelled in the ingredients with their E-numbers

• Additives are used to improve foods in various ways:

  • Colourings are added to make food more visually appealing

  • Emulsifiers are used to maintain the texture of foods and prevent the separation of fats from water e.g. in low fat spreads or mayonnaise

  • Stabilisers maintain the consistency of foods e.g. jams or jellies

  • Flavourings are added to improve the flavour of foods to make them more appealing to the consumer

  • Preservatives can be used to increase the shelf life of foods

• There are, however, many negative associations with additives in foods, for example:

  • Hyperactivity in children has been linked to some colourings

  • Some emulsifiers and stabilisers have been reported to cause symptoms such as flatulence and bloating

  • Allergic reactions have been reported from the consumption of some flavourings

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Genetically modified foods

• Genes are responsible for the characteristics of an organism

• Genetically modified foods are those which have had genes introduced to provide certain desirable characteristics

• Some crops have been genetically modified to give features including:

  • Increased vitamin or mineral content e.g. golden rice, which contains higher levels of vitamin A

  • Drought resistance

  • Pesticide or herbicide resistance

• However, the development and use of GM-crops is a long-debated controversial matter

• It is legally required that all genetically modified food products, or products containing GM ingredients, are clearly labelled