Learning Activity: discuss Food Additives

After reading through the information in the section, discuss with your parents, friends, classmates or teachers, or just think on your own:

- are all food additives bad?
- why do you think so?
- do you think that the invention of synthetic food additives is an improvement in food technology, given the fact that some of them have proven to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing)?

- some synthetic food additives cannot be digested or broken down by most organisms on earth, including humans. What problems or ill-effects do you think this may cause?

- Although the nitrates (a class of compounds) found widely in canned foods and cured meats (like ham) are known to be carcinogenic, these additives are still allowed. Why do you think this is so.

- Botulism is a deadly form of food poisoning that used to kill many people before the advent of preservatives which killed the toxin-producing bacteria. Does thia make preservatives a triumph for science?
- are there methods other than food additives to preserve food? Are they widely used? Why?

- different countries often have varying standards for the types, amounts and labelling permitted/required when it comes to food additives. What problems could this cause with regard to globalisation? What should be done to avoid this problem?

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