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Adulterants And Additives
What Is an Adulterant?
Purpose and
Examples
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
An adulterant is a chemical which
acts as a contaminant when combined with other substances.
Adulterants are added to pure substances to extend the quantity
while reducing the quality.
Examples of Adulterants
When water is added to alcohol, the water is an adulterant.
In the food and drug industry, many more examples of adulterants
may be found.
When cutting agents are added to drugs to reduce their expense,
the added substances are considered to be adulterants.
Melamine has been added to milk and other protein-containing
foods to boost crude protein content,
often at risk of sickness or death.
High fructose corn syrup is added to adulterate honey.
Injecting water or brine into meat increases its weight and is
an adulterant.
Diethylene glycol is a dangerous additive found in some sweet
wines.
Adulterant vs Additive
An additive is an ingredient added to a product for a specific
purpose (not to reduce quality).
In some cases, it's difficult to tell an additive and adulterant
apart.
For example, chicory was first added to coffee to extend it (an
adulterant), but now may be added to impart a special flavor (an additive).
Chalk may be added to bread flour to reduce its cost (an
adulterant), but it is often used as an additive for making bread because it
increases calcium content
and whiteness.
Usually an additive is listed as an ingredient, while an
adulterant is not.
There are exceptions. For example, adding water to meat to
increase its weight (and thus manufacturer profit) is listed on the label, yet
confers no benefit to the consumer.
Anne
Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry
Expert
Education
Ph.D.,
Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
B.A.,
Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Introduction
Ph.D. in
biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge
National Laboratory.
Science
educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at
the high school, college, and graduate levels.
ThoughtCo
and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.
Widely-published
graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations
used in science.
Experience
Anne
Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education
since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology,
astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She
has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse
scientific literature for the Department of Energy.
In
addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a
scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary
approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor.
Education
Dr.
Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of
Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in
chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine
developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.
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