Chemicals In Ice Cream

Many people love eating ice cream and decades ago, it was made from milk, fruits and other fresh ingredients. Today, manufacturers are adding various ingredients in the ice cream. We should be aware about some of the more deceitful ice cream manufacturers. We should avoid products that simply contain chemical cocktail with natural-looking package to influence consumers. In fact, some of the ice cream products are not really fit for human consumption. Here are some substances that we can find in ice creams:

• DEG or diethyl glycol: This substance is used to make plasticisers, polyester resins and paint solvents. We could also find DEG in paint removers and engine anti-freeze solutions. Originally, eggs are used in ice cream as a thickening agent, however DEG can become a cheap substitute. This chemical shouldn’t be allowed for any kind of food processing.
• Piperonal or heliotropin: This is often used as a cheap substitute for vanilla flavouring. It is considered as a skin irritant and moderately toxic. It is used for products to kill lice and no matter how we sugar coat it; it is still a moderately toxic substance that we need to avoid.
• EA or ethyl acetate: It has pineapple-like flavour and also used for cleaning textiles and leather. In paints, EA is useful as a hardener or activator. We could also find EA in nail polish removers and glues. EA vapour can cause lung, heart and liver damages if inhaled consistently.
• Aldehyde C-17: It is artificial cherry flavouring and also an inflammable liquid. It is also used for the manufacturing process of rubber, plastic and aniline dyes.
• Amyl acetate: It is a common agent used for banana-flavoured food products. We can also find amyl acetate in lacquer solvent and paint.
• Butanal or butyraldehyde: Butanal is based on butane and it used as artificial flavouring for ice cream. It is used in the manufacturing process of alcohols, plasticsers, polymers, solvents, cements and rubber accelerators.
• Benzyl Acetate or phenylmethyl acetate: It can be used as food fragrance and flavoring agent. However, this substance can also be found in lacquers, polishers, inks, soaps and detergents.
• Propylene glycol: It can work as both preservative and food coloring. However, it is also a component of cleaning fluids, car anti-freeze solutions and aircraft de-icing fluids. Constant exposure to propylene glycol may cause problems in respiratory, urinary and renal systems.
• Sodium benzoate: It is also a common food preservative; also cosmetics and medicines. It is a part of fireworks and studies have indicated that it is a carcinogenic substance. Sodium benzoate is so potent that mitochondria in cells can be rendered inactive. When cells begin to malfunction; many of them die; but a few others could start multiply and grow rapidly. This could become the start of cancer and neuro-degenerative diseases.
• Potassium sorbate: It is used as preservative and can inhibit the overall growth and molds and yeast. In general, potassium sorbate could help to increase the shelf life of ice cream products. It is shown that this substance can be mutagenic and genotoxic to human blod cells.
• Polysorbate: It works well when used as emulsified in ice cream. Polysorbate is also used in shampoos and soaps.