A Guide to Food Additives - B

Mar 11, 2020 by Editor

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

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