E452 (I, II, III, IV) SODIUM OR POTASSIUM OR CALCIUM POLYPHOSPHATE
Polyphosphates, sodium, potassium or calcium, are inorganic compounds that derive from the polymerization of sodium metaphosphate.
They are stabilizing additives, as they maintain the physico-chemical state of a food product over time.
In the past they were used only for cured meats, sausages and melted cheeses (slices, small cheeses, and cheeses with an appearance similar to mozzarella); today, however, they can also be used in other products such as chewing gum, dried products, snacks and chocolate drinks.
These additives allow to maintain the hydration of the foods to which they are added (in particular to cured meats and sausages), consequently the products do not lose water and weight during the aging phases.
A sausage that contains polyphosphates is easily identifiable because the slice remains intact, shiny and has no tendency to crumble, even after a day inside the refrigerator; on the other hand, when a sausage is opaque and with slightly jagged edges, it is a food without this additive, therefore more genuine.
The addition of polyphosphates to the cheeses allows to increase their spreadability, allowing the creams to maintain their fluid consistency. However, the polyphosphates added to foods containing calcium have a contraindication: having a marked tendency to bind calcium of this unusable mineral, since they reduce its absorption by the body by decreasing the nutritional value of the foods to which they are added.
Polyphosphates can also be contained in puddings, in cooked meat-based preserves (allowing these foods to keep their characteristics intact), and in light mayonnaise (in it they are used to reduce the quantity of oil, therefore of fats).
It is good to underline the fact that the use of starches and polyphosphates in low quality cured meats can ensure that up to 60% of water is retained, thus lowering the protein percentage of foods and with it their nutritional content.
They are compounds that can be added not only to food, but also to detergents, to obtain a more abundant foam and to improve the action of the soap itself.
It is hypothesized that their intake can cause an increase in cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, and the appearance of kidney disorders. It is therefore preferable to choose products (cured meats and cheeses) free of polyphosphates.
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