Name Other Names Purpose Source Baking Powder Leavening agent, mixture of carbonate and weak acid, increases volume of baked goods and creates the bubbly effect in breads and cookies Synthetic Baking Soda Sodium bicarbonate, bicarbonate of soda Leavening agent, mixture of carbonate(base) and weak acids releases carbon dioxide to fluff pancakes, cakes and baked goods. Synthetic, Balm Balm mint, lemon balm Plant attracts bees to make honey, flavoring for ice-cream, candies & teas, Melissa plant found in Europe & Asia Barberry Berberis Edible berries with sharp acidic flavor and used in ethnic foods, candies, drinks and jams to give a sour flavor Berberis plant Basil Great basil Normally used fresh in various ethnic foods for flavoring Basil plant Bay leaves Sharp, fragrant & bitter spice, used in cuisines across the globe Laurus nobilis plant Beeswax E901, cera alba Coating cheese, glazing agent to prevent water loss, protective fruit surfaces, gelatin capsules, natural chewing gum Produced by worker bees in a beehive to store honey Beet red E162, Betanin, Beetroot red Red food dye in ice cream, beverages, confectionery, candies, tomato & bacon products, sausages Extracted from beets Bentonite Pubchem Volcanic ash, phyllosilicate clay Protein absorber used in white wine making during clarification and removing cloudiness Mined in USA, China, Greece and other countries Benzoic acid Pubchem E210, E211, E212, E213, Carboxybenzene, dracylic acid White colorless solid, preservative that inhibits growth of mold, yeast and some bacteria, added to fruit juice, sparkling drinks, soft drinks, pickles & acidified foods Synthetic Benzoyl peroxide Pubchem E928, Benzac Flour treating agent, oxidizes carotenoids in flour which changes its color from yellow to white Synthetic Bergamot Citrus Bergamia, bergamot orange Edible orange fruit, flavor for Earl Grey & Lady Grey teas, confectionery, marmalade, candy Bergamot tree Beta-ap-8'-carotenal Pubchem E160e, Apocarotenal Orange-red color, used in fatty foods such as sauces, dressings, drinks, dairy and sweet foods Spinach, citrus fruits Betanin Pubchem E162, Beet red, Beetroot red Red food dye in ice cream, beverages, confectionery, candies, tomato & bacon products, sausages Extracted from beets Biphenyl Pubchem E230, Diphenyl, lemonene, BP Antimicrobial food preservative Synthetic, distilled from coal tar, crude oil & natural gas Bison grass Sweet grass, vanilla grass, holy grass, hierchloe odorata Aromatic herb(coumarin, active aromatic) used in producing distilled beverages, Synthetic, distilled from coal tar, crude oil & natural gas Bixin Pubchem beta-Bixin Natural orange food color in trace amounts, soluble in fats and alcohol but insoluble in water Found in annatto in seeds of achiote tree Black cardamom Amomum subulatum, Indian cardamom, hill cardamom, brown cardamom Smokey & minty flavor & aroma used in savory(not sweet) ethnic dishes, especially Chinese, Indian & Vietnaamese Zingiberaceae plant family Black cumin (Two plants) Great pignut, earthnut OR Black caraway, nigella, kalonji Garnish, pastes, seasoning, flavoring, ethnic cuisines Plant sources Black limes Dried lime, noom basra, loomi Adds sourness to Middle Eastern & Persian foods, lacks sweetness of regular lime, earthy and smoky Lime that has lost water content in the sun Black pepper Peppercorn Spicy hot(bioactive: piperine), aromatic(bioactive: rotundone), used to enhance flavor and aroma Derived from peppercorn fruit Black PN Pubchem E151, Brilliant Black PN, Food Black 1, Naphthol Black Water soluble black food dye, used in desserts, sweets, ice-cream, jams, soft drinks, caviar and pastes. Banned in US, Japan, Switzerland, Approved in EU. Synthetic Bleached starch Starch, bleached, sub-class of modified starches Emulsifier, stabilizer & thickener in desserts, pizza toppings, cheese sauces, industrial yogurt, low fat salami, Olestra, Corn, maize Bolivian Coriander Porophyllum ruderale Seasoning herb used in Mexican salsas and soups Ref Plant with same name Borage Starflower, Borago officinalis Used in German & Italian recipes such as soups, fillings & pickles, garnishing cocktails Borage plant Borax Pubchem E285, Sodium borate, disodium tetraborate Soft whtie crystals soluble in water, used as a preservative and adding rubbery texture to food. Banned in USA, China and other countries Synthetic Brilliant blue FCF Pubchem E133, Acid Blue 9, Brilliant Blue FD, Blue #1, FD&C Blue No. 1 Blue coloring agent in ice-cream, cotton candy, canned foods, packed soups, food coloring, blueberry products, dairy, sweets, iceings,liqueurs and beverages, poorly absorbed in GI and 95% passes through Synthetic Brilliant Scarlet 4R Pubchem E124, Ponceau 4R, Brilliant Scarlet 3R, New Coccine Heat & Light stable red dye Used in Europe, Asia & Australia but not approved in USA Synthesized from aromatic hydrocarbons Butane Pubchem E943a, N-Butane, Liquefied Petroleum gas Propellant in very small doses Synthesized from aromatic hydrocarbons Butylated hydroxyanisole Pubchem E320, BHA, BOA Anti-oxidant & waxy solid added to edible fats & fatty foods to prevent rancidity and odors, scavenges free radicals in meat, beer, baked goods, dry beverage, dessert mixes, chewing gum BHA in California is deemed as a carcinogen Synthetic Butylated hydroxtoluene Pubchem E321, BHT, DBPC, AO-29 Anti-oxidant in tiny amounts in "enriched rice" and poultry, preservative Synthesized, Occurs in Phytoplankton(algae) and fruit lychee
