USO DE ADITIVOS QUÍMICOS EM PRODUTOS DESTINADOS A ALIMENTAÇÃO INFANTIL

Abstract

Food is one of the first and most important activities performed by human beings in the first hours of life, mainly for physiological and psychological reasons, among others. With technological innovations in industrial foods, food additives became part of the formulations of food products, to promote greater stability and palatability. The objective of this study was to analyze, list and describe food labels aimed at children that have in their ingredients the use of additives in their formulation, identify the types of food additives, their functions, divide food into groups, classify them from According to the food guide, qualify and quantify the additives according to their classes present in industrial foods intended for children. To delimit the samples, 30 types of food products intended for children were analyzed, totaling 261 food labels, which were divided into seven groups, including: dairy products (G1), sweet foods (G2), savory foods (G3), soups (G4), meat products (G5), industrialized beverages (G6) and transitional foods (G7). Additives were classified into 23 classes, including flavorings, which were the most found on food labels in research. Although additives are allowed by national, ANVISA and international authorities and Codex Alimentarius, it is necessary to clearly and objectively present information about these substances intended for use in processed foods.