Hidden Additives in Mooncakes
Most mooncakes contain the following common additives: calcium propionate, sodium dehydroacetate, sodium diacetate, potassium sorbate, and citric acid. Additionally, in terms of ingredients, some use wheat flour, while others use modified starch; some use lard, others use vegetable oil, and a few use peanut oil; some use white sugar, while others use glucose syrup, maltose, or sugar alcohols.
Calcium Propionate
Function: Calcium propionate is a new type of food additive, a safe and reliable preservative for food and feed approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. As an acidic food preservative, it produces free propionic acid under acidic conditions, which has an antimicrobial effect.
Hazards: As long as it is added in strict accordance with national regulations, it is harmless to the human body.
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Function: Sometimes listed on mooncake ingredient labels as sodium diacetate, it is a new food preservative and freshener, following sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. According to national regulations on food additive limits, the maximum usage of sodium dehydro(acetate) is 0.5 grams per kilogram. However, this is difficult to discern from food labels, as manufacturers do not specify the proportion of each ingredient.
Hazards: In aqueous solution, this additive gradually degrades into acetic acid without accumulation, so its toxicity to the human body is relatively low.
Potassium Sorbate/Sorbic Acid
Function: When we purchase packaged (or canned) foods, we often see "sorbic acid" or "potassium sorbate" listed in the ingredients. People might mistakenly believe it contains pear components. In fact, it is a preservative and freshener. Sorbic acid (potassium) inhibits the growth of harmful microorganisms, effectively extending the shelf life of food while preserving its original flavor. Its preservative effect is 5-10 times that of a similar product, sodium benzoate.
Hazards: Since sorbic acid (potassium) can be absorbed by the human metabolic system and rapidly broken down into carbon dioxide and water, its safety is much higher than that of sodium benzoate, which was frequently used in the past. It is estimated that its toxicity is 1/2 that of salt and 1/40 that of sodium benzoate.
Citric Acid
Function: It is an acidulant used to improve flavor. In northern regions, it is generally made from corn or sweet potato starch. Adding citric acid to certain foods improves taste and can stimulate appetite. In China, it is permitted to be used in jams, beverages, canned goods, and candies.
Hazards: Although citric acid has no direct harm to the human body, it can promote the excretion and deposition of calcium in the body. Long-term consumption of foods containing citric acid may lead to hypocalcemia. In children, this can manifest as nervous system instability, excitability, and autonomic nervous disorders. In adults, it can cause hand and foot cramps, muscle spasms, abnormal sensations, itching, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Vegetable Shortening/Refined Vegetable Oil
Function: It is used to soften or flake baked foods, preventing proteins and carbohydrates from becoming hard and lumpy during processing, and improving texture.
Hazards: This ingredient is not as commonly listed on mooncake labels as it is in tangyuan or yuanxiao, but it is still the substance most worthy of caution. In common snacks like ice cream and flaky pastries, any ingredient listed as margarine, vegetable margarine, hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated palm oil, shortening, vegetable shortening, or refined vegetable oil, regardless of the name, shares the same essence—trans fatty acids. Normally, the molecules of unsaturated fatty acids are curved, which is why we see oils like salad oil and soybean oil in a liquid state. However, the molecules of trans fatty acids are arranged in a straight line, making them solid. This is because oils undergo "hydrogenation," turning liquid oils into semi-solid fats and extending their shelf life.
Since trans fatty acids are completely unacceptable by our bodies, they can lead to multiple physiological dysfunctions. Trans fatty acids can increase levels of "bad" cholesterol in the body, clog arteries, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, a war against "trans fatty acids" is quietly brewing in the global food market. Because vegetable shortening also contains trans fatty acids and a large amount of saturated fat, it is worse than butter and very bad for the heart.