Food categories process flavors

An assessment of the potential presence of PHAs in process flavors, and the implications for the safety assessment of these flavors, was sponsored by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA). The assessment was conducted in three stages (1) identification and quantification of PHAs in process flavors (2) identification of the food categories which could potentially contain process flavors and calculation of their respective daily per capita intakes and (3) determination of the daily per capita intake of PHAs through consumption of foods identified as sources of naturally-occurring PHAs compared to foods containing process flavors. 

If you check any food composition table, you would see that potassium and sodium are found together in every food category. Both in foods and in the human body, they are often accompanied by chloride, which is the chemically active form of the element chlorine. All the natural foods I can think of have a lot more potassium than sodium, but they all have both—and chloride. Processed foods (potato chips, breakfast cereals, roasted nuts, soft drinks, etc.) are the only foods that have more sodium than potassium, and I believe you can guess why. The manufacturers often add salt to their products. Why Table salt (sodium chloride) acts as a preservative and a flavor enhancer. Products have a longer shelf life, and, besides, the salty taste is popular and helps sell many commercial food products. Salt is, however, somewhat addictive, and excessive intakes of it complicate body chemistry and increase the risk of high blood pressure in some individuals. 

Intake of process flavors from foods in various categories was determined based on the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (NFCS) database, which was derived from surveys of U.S. food consumption conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1977-1978. Although 1987-1988 data were available, the 1977-1978 data were considered to be more representative of the general population (n= 30,770 n = 28,006 for individuals providing a 3-day diet history) than the more recent 1987-1988 data (n = 10,193 total n = 8,224 with a three-day diet history). Data were not available for the years after 1988 at the time the analyses reported here were performed. 

In Table 2, the food categories and per capita food consumption of relevant foods expected to contain IQ and MelQx (g/day) are reported. The potential level of use of the process flavor in the final food product (0.5%) and the potential level of use of IQ (Sample 1) and MelQx (Sample 2) in the PF food product (small use=25% medium use=50% large use=75%) are represented in Colunms 3 and 4, respectively. Colunm 5 represents the poundage ratio which assumes that there would be approximately 6000 lbs of samples 1 and 2 in the 13 million lbs of total PF used by consumers per year. The intakes of IQ (sample 1) and MelQx (sample 2) (ng/day) are reported in Columns 6 and 7, respectively, and are calculated based upon the usage levels reported in colunms 2, 3,4 and 5 with the assumption that IQ (Sample 1) is present at a level of 67 ng/g and MelQx is present at a level of 59 ng/g in the food categories containing process flavors. 

In summary, the total daily per capita intakes for IQ and MelQx from all food categories containing process flavors were estimated to be 1.62x10 and 1.43x10 ng/day, respectively. 

Third-generation snacks Snack food category also known as half-products or pellets. This includes all intermediate or half-products made via thermoplastic extrusion that need further processing to reach consumers. The resulting pellets are usually fried or baked and flavored before packaging. 

---