E452 - Polyphosphates

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 physical-chemical state of a food product over time.

In the past they were used only for cured meats, sausages and melted cheeses (cheese slices, cheeses and cheeses with a similar appearance to mozzarella); today instead they can also be used in other products such as, for example, in chewing gum, in dried products, in snacks and in chocolate drinks.

These additives make it possible 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 maturing phases.

It is easily identifiable a sausage that contains polyphosphates because the slice remains intact, shiny and has no tendency to crumble, even after a day inside the refrigerator; instead, when a sausage is opaque and has 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 the calcium ion, they make most of this mineral unusable, since they reduce its absorption by the body, decreasing the nutritional value of the foods to which are added.

Polyphosphates can also be contained in puddings, in canned meat-based preserves (allowing these foods to retain their intact characteristics), and in light mayonnaise (they are used to reduce the amount of oil, and therefore fat).

It should be emphasized that the use of starches and polyphosphates in low-quality cured meats can cause up to 60% of water to be retained, thus lowering the percentage protein content of foods and with it their nutritional content.

They are compounds that can be added, in addition to food, to detergents, to obtain a more abundant foam and to improve the action of the soap itself.

It is hypothesized that their intake may cause an increase in cholesterol and fat levels in the blood, and the appearance of renal disorders. It is therefore preferable to choose products (cured meats and cheeses) without polyphosphates.

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