InfoCons Consumer Protection Study : Protein Bars Can Contain Up to 17 Food Additives

InfoCons Consumer Protection Study : Protein Bars Can Contain Up to 17 Food Additives 

InfoCons carried out a study based on the information found on the labels of 41 protein bar products from Europe, from producers / distributors present on the Romanian market.

Types of food additives found in protein bar products – Stay informed with InfoCons Consumer Protection about Food Additives !

InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you about protein bar products – From the perspective of the types of food additives / E-numbers frequently found, the situation is as follows:

• 95.12% of the studied protein bar products contain Lecithins (E 322).

Additive Lecithins (E 322) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of antioxidants, emulsifiers and stabilisers. It is a compound found in the structure of the cell membrane of any living organism. For industrial use (food and pharmaceutical), it is obtained mainly from soybeans or egg yolk. It is used in all types of food products.

• 53.66% of the studied protein bar products contain Glycerol (E 422).

Additive Glycerol (E 422) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a sweetener, stabiliser, humectant, emulsifier, thickener and bulking agent, naturally present in blood and in all fats, but obtained for industrial use from propane or from sugars through bacterial fermentation. It is also used as a carrier substance for other food additives. It is metabolised by the body, representing a source of energy.
It is used according to recipe quantities in dairy products, sweets, creams, spreadable emulsified fats with or without flavours, sauces, snacks, ice cream, processed and preserved fruit and vegetables, meat products, fish, eggs, condiments, soups, broths, edible casings, plant-protein products, nutritional supplements, mustard, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, dietary products, etc.

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• 48.78% of the studied protein bar products contain Maltitol (E 965).

Additive Maltitol (E 965) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive with functions as an anti-caking agent, binding agent, stabiliser, emulsifier, carrier substance for other additives, and sweetener. It is a polyol obtained by hydrogenating maltose from starch. In the same quantity, maltitol has 90% of the sweetness of sugar, but only half of its calories. In food manufacturing technology, it has the same properties as sugar, except it cannot be caramelised.
It is available as E965(i) – Maltitol or E965(ii) – Maltitol syrup.
Due to its solubility and stability at high temperatures, it is successfully used in heat-treated products. Thus, it can be used in the quantities provided by recipes in confectionery, pastry and bakery products, preserved fruit products, various cocoa-based desserts, products based on fats, milk, fruit and starch, breakfast cereals, dietary products and food supplements, etc. Maltitol is metabolised very slowly, which leads to its being largely excreted unchanged.

• 21.95% of the studied protein bar products contain Sorbitol (E 420).

Additive Sorbitol (E 420) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a low-calorie sweetener, stabiliser, humectant, emulsifying salt (sequestrant), bulking agent and thickener, naturally present in fruits, but obtained for industrial use from dextrose. It is available as E 420(i) – Sorbitol or E 420(ii) – Sorbitol syrup. It is also used as a carrier substance for other food additives. It is used according to recipe quantities in low-calorie confectionery and pastry products, cereal-based desserts, products based on fruit, vegetables, fats, eggs, cocoa and milk, as well as sauces, mustard, chewing gum, etc.

• 19.51% of the studied protein bar products contain Caramel (E 150).

Additive Caramel (E 150) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
Food additives in the category of artificial colourants. They provide a colour ranging from brown to black and are permitted for use in any type of food.
They may be found in some counterfeit soy sauces where, if the presence of caramel is not stated on the label, it can be noticed by the colour seeping onto the inside walls of the bottle above the liquid level. They are obtained by heating and burning sugars (glucose, fructose), mixed or not with acidic or alkaline substances, until carbonisation. The burning process may occur in the absence or presence of ammonia, sodium or potassium sulphites, or combinations thereof. The presence of ammonia or sulphites intensifies the colour. They are water-soluble and have a specific, sometimes bitter, taste.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Sodium Bicarbonate (E 500).

Additive Sodium Bicarbonate (E 500) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a stabiliser, acidity regulator, raising agent, anti-caking agent and base, obtained from salt or seawater. It is available as E 500(i) – Sodium carbonate, E 500(ii) – Sodium hydrogen carbonate, or E 500(iii) – Sodium sesquicarbonate. It is added in recipe quantities to dairy products, cheeses, milk-based desserts, ice cream, spreadable emulsified fats, vegetable, fruit, meat, fish, egg and cereal products, pasta, doughs, pastry, confectionery and bakery products, sauces, salads, food supplements, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, etc.

• 4.88% of the studied protein bar products contain Guar Gum (E 412).

Additive Guar Gum (E 412) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as an emulsifier, stabiliser, thickener, filler and anti-caking agent. It is a natural product obtained from the guar shrub.
It is used in recipe quantities in dairy products, sweets, creams, spreadable emulsified fats with or without flavours, sauces, toppings, dressings, ice cream, processed and preserved fruit and vegetables, meat products, fish, eggs, condiments, soups, broths, edible casings, plant-protein products, nutritional supplements, etc. It is also used as a carrier substance for other food additives.

• 7.32% of the studied protein bar products contain Sulphur Dioxide (E 220).

Additive Sulphur Dioxide (E 220) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of natural preservatives, used since ancient times in the Roman Empire and Ancient Egypt. It is a colourless gas obtained by burning sulphur. This gas dissolves in the aqueous phase of the preserved food and forms the reactive agent, provided the food has an acidic pH (less than 7). It prevents enzymatic and bacterial degradation. As an oxidant, it is also used as a bleaching agent for flour; in general, it modifies (oxidises) the natural colour of foods and reduces their vitamin content. When the food is heated, the additive is released as a gas. When ingested, it is broken down in the liver into harmless sulphates and is eliminated in urine.

• 12.2% of the studied protein bar products contain Polydextrose (E 270).

Additive Polydextrose (E 270) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a stabiliser, thickener, anti-caking agent, humectant and carrier substance for sweeteners.
For food use, it is obtained from dextrose and, due to its solubility and fibre content, is widely used to replace part of the fat, sugar or starch in confectionery, pastry and bakery products, milk-based products, meat, fruit, eggs, cereals, or various beverages. It can be used in the quantities provided by recipes in all types of products.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Lactic Acid (E 270).

Additive Lactic Acid (E 270) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of natural preservatives, obtained through bacterial fermentation. It is used against yeasts and fungi. It is also used to increase the stability of potato products, influencing the growth and stability of antioxidants and pectins.

• 7.32% of the studied protein bar products contain Erythritol (E 968).

Additive Erythritol (E 968) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a sweetener and carrier substance for other additives. It is a polyol obtained from glucose through fermentation in the presence of yeast. Its sweetening power is about 70% of that of sugar, but it contains only 5% of sugar’s calories. It was introduced in Europe in 2004 and in Romania in 2005. Erythritol is absorbed in the small intestine, enters the bloodstream, and is excreted by the kidneys largely unchanged. As a result, it does not reach the large intestine and generally does not cause disturbances there unless consumed in very large quantities. It is less soluble than sugar and also tends to crystallise. For this reason, various anti-caking substances are used to prevent crystallisation and to mask a menthol-like taste, such as inulin, isomalt or glycerine. Due to its stability at high temperatures, it is used successfully in all types of products, including heat-treated ones, in recipe quantities in confectionery, pastry and bakery products, preserved fruit products, various cocoa-based desserts, products based on fats, milk, fruit or starch, breakfast cereals, dietary products and food supplements, chewing gum, etc.

• 19.51% of the studied protein bar products contain Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids (E 471).

Additive Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids (E 471) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
Food additives acting as thickeners, emulsifiers, stabilisers, anti-caking agents and anti-foaming agents. They are obtained from animal or vegetable fats and are used in recipe quantities in dairy products, desserts based on emulsified fats, milk or fruit, vegetable and fruit products, vegetable preserves in vinegar, confectionery and pastry products, ice cream, pasta, rice, cereal- and/or starch-based desserts, fish products, eggs, sauces, condiments, soups, salads, dietary products, food supplements, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, etc.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Isomalt (E 953).

Additive Isomalt (E 953) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive with multiple functions. It is a natural product acting as an anti-caking agent, as well as a thickener, emulsifier, coating (glazing) agent, carrier substance for other additives, and sweetener. Due to its stability at high temperatures, it is used successfully in heat-treated products, in recipe quantities in confectionery, pastry and bakery products, preserved fruit products, various cocoa-based desserts, products based on fats, milk, fruit, starch, breakfast cereals, dietary products and food supplements, etc.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Sodium Citrates (E 331).

Additive Sodium Citrates (E 331) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of antioxidants, also acting as an acidity regulator, preservative, flavouring and sequestrant. It appears as E 331(i) – monosodium citrate, E 331(ii) – disodium citrate, or E 331(iii) – trisodium citrate, all sodium salts of citric acid. It is used in recipe quantities in milk-based products, vegetables, fruits, animal or vegetable oils and fats (emulsified or non-emulsified), partially or fully dehydrated milk, and preparations of fresh minced meat.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Potassium Chloride (E 508).

Additive Potassium Chloride (E 508) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a stabiliser, thickener, and salt substitute.
It is used in recipe quantities in dairy products, cheeses, milk-based desserts, ice cream, spreadable emulsified fats, vegetable, fruit, meat, fish, egg and cereal products, pasta, doughs, pastry, confectionery and bakery products, sauces, condiments, salads, soups, broths, food supplements, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as in all low-sodium or salt-free dietary products. It is also used as a carrier for other additives.

• 4.88% of the studied protein bar products contain Magnesium Carbonate (E 504).

Additive Magnesium Carbonate (E 504) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a stabiliser, acidity regulator and anti-caking agent, obtained from magnesium hydroxide. It appears as E 504(i) – magnesium carbonate and E 504(ii) – magnesium hydrogen carbonate. It is also used as a carrier for other additives.
It is added to products made from dried whey, to salt and powdered sugar, as well as to dairy products, cheeses, milk-based desserts, ice cream, spreadable emulsified fats, vegetable, fruit, meat, fish, egg and cereal products, pasta, doughs, pastry, confectionery and bakery products, sauces, condiments, salads, soups, broths, dietary products, food supplements, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, etc.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Calcium Phosphates (E 341).

Additive Calcium Phosphates (E 341) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as an acidity regulator, emulsifier, sequestrant, humectant and stabiliser (water retention and thickening), appearing as E 341(i) – monocalcium phosphate, E 341(ii) – dicalcium phosphate, and E 341(iii) – tricalcium phosphate.
Monocalcium phosphate is not, in fact, a food additive, but a substance used to wash the installations of vending machines that dispense beverages such as tea, instant coffee, juice, etc.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Malic Acid (E 296).

Additive Malic Acid (E 296) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a preservative, stabiliser and flavouring agent, naturally present in most fruits and vegetables. For industrial use, it is obtained through chemical synthesis. It is used according to recipe quantities in juices, nectars, jams, jellies and fruit marmalades.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Potassium Sorbate (E 202).

Additive Potassium Sorbate (E 202) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of preservatives. For industrial use, it is obtained through chemical processes, being the potassium salt of sorbic acid (E 200).
It is an effective preservative especially against moulds and yeasts, being less effective against bacteria. It is optimally active at pH lower than 6.5 (acidic and slightly acidic products). Sorbates are also used in combination with benzoates in products such as flavoured non-alcoholic beverages (soft drinks), low-alcohol beverages, liquid tea concentrates (used in dispensers), certain preserved fruit and vegetable products, jams and jellies with low sugar content, olives and olive-based products, fish products, crustaceans, shrimp, molluscs, emulsified and non-emulsified sauces, condiments, spices, mustard, prepared salads, desserts based on non-heat-treated dairy products, preservation of eggs in liquid form, dietary foods for special medical purposes, liquid food supplements and chewing gum.

• 4.88% of the studied protein bar products contain Ascorbic Acid (E 300).

Additive Ascorbic Acid (E 300) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of antioxidants, naturally found in most fruits and vegetables and known as Vitamin C. As a natural component of foods, ascorbic acid plays an irreplaceable role in the proper functioning of all biochemical processes in the human body—a role that, unfortunately, the additive E 300 cannot replace.
It is an industrial product synthesised through glucose fermentation followed by chemical oxidation and cannot be used as a vitamin supplement.

• 9.76% of the studied protein bar products contain Gum Arabic (E 414).

Additive Gum Arabic (E 414) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as an emulsifier, stabiliser, thickener, filler and anti-caking agent. It is a natural product obtained from the Acacia senegal tree. It is used in recipe quantities in dairy products, sweets, creams, spreadable emulsified fats with or without flavours, sauces, toppings, dressings, ice cream, processed and preserved fruit and vegetables, meat products, fish, eggs, condiments, soups, broths, edible casings, plant-protein products, nutritional supplements, etc. It is also used as a carrier substance for other food additives.

• 7.32% of the studied protein bar products contain Calcium Carbonate (E 170).

Additive Calcium Carbonate (E 170) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive with multiple functions: acidity regulator, anti-caking agent, emulsifier, stabiliser and colourant. It belongs to the category of natural mineral-origin additives (chalk), found as E 170(i) – calcium carbonate or E 170(ii) – calcium hydrogen carbonate. For the food and pharmaceutical industries, it is usually obtained from marble.
It is widely used as a surface colourant, anti-drying agent, stabiliser for preserved fruit, and in pharmacy as a filler. It is a source of calcium and is incorporated into some food supplements. It also has the role of neutralising gastric hyperacidity.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Iron Oxides and Hydroxides (E 172).

Additive Iron Oxides and Hydroxides (E 172) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
Food additives in the category of natural mineral-origin colourants, found as E 172(i) – black iron oxide, E 172(ii) – red iron oxide, and E 172(iii) – yellow iron oxide. They are obtained from iron powder and are used only for surface coatings.

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• 17.07% of the studied protein bar products contain Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate (E 476).

Additive Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate (E 476) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a stabiliser and emulsifier, obtained from polyglycerol and castor oil. It is used especially in cocoa- and chocolate-based confectionery products, in emulsions and spreads with a fat content of up to 41%, and in salad dressings.

• 21.95% of the studied protein bar products contain Tocopherols (E 306).

Additive Tocopherols (E 306) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of antioxidants, naturally found in oilseed plant seeds and also known as Vitamin E. It is extracted from vegetable oils rich in Vitamin E but can also be obtained synthetically.

• 24.39% of the studied protein bar products contain Sucralose (E 955).

Additive Sucralose (E 955) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a sweetener, obtained through chemical processes from ordinary sugar. Being 600 times sweeter than sugar and very stable across all pH levels, at high temperatures, and over time, it can be used in a wide range of food products with long shelf lives. The taste of sucralose is identical to that of sugar (except for a cooling, menthol-like note), and it does not need to be combined with other sweeteners. It is also a zero-calorie sweetener; however, due to its very high sweetening power, to be used as a sugar substitute for everyday use (pre-dosed sachets), it is mixed with dextrin or maltodextrin, which add a significant caloric intake—undesirable for those following low-calorie diets. Its use is permitted in low-energy beer, concentrated soups, flavoured alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, milk-, egg-, fat-, cereal- or fruit-based preparations and desserts, preserved fruit, jams, jellies, spreads, dietary preparations, confectionery products, various breath-freshening or throat tablets, and chewing gum.

• 7.32% of the studied protein bar products contain Steviol Glycosides (E 960).

Additive Steviol Glycosides (E 960) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as a sweetener, obtained from stevia. It is used in various food products as a sugar substitute, according to recipe quantities.

• 4.88% of the studied protein bar products contain Alpha-tocopherol (E 307).

Additive Alpha-tocopherol (E 307) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of antioxidants, naturally found in oilseed plant seeds and also known as Vitamin E. It is extracted from vegetable oils rich in Vitamin E but can also be obtained synthetically.

• 4.88% of the studied protein bar products contain Riboflavin (E 101).

Additive Riboflavin (E 101) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of natural colourants. It provides a yellow colour and is permitted for use in all types of foods (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, meat products, milk, eggs, vegetables, fruit, cereals, sweets, etc.) according to recipe quantities. It is not permitted in foods intended for infants and young children. In foods, it may appear as E101(i) – Riboflavin or E101(ii) – Riboflavin-5′-sodium phosphate, which sometimes appears as E 106. Riboflavin, or Vitamin B2, is naturally present in foods such as milk, eggs, liver and vegetables. Commercial preparations are obtained from yeast but can also be obtained synthetically. It is a yellow food colourant with low water solubility, which limits its uses.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Red Pepper Extract (Capsanthin, Capsorubin) (E 160c).

Additive Red Pepper Extract (Capsanthin, Capsorubin) (E 160c) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of natural colourants, obtained from red pepper (Capsicum annuum). It provides a dark red colour and is used both as a colourant and as a flavouring agent, in the doses provided by recipes. It is also used in sausages, salamis and pâtés.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Betanin (E 162).

Additive Betanin (E 162) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive from the category of natural colourants, obtained from beetroot. It is widely used according to recipe needs, but the colour is relatively unstable. It is excreted in urine in an unchanged form.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Carotenes (E 160a).

Additive Carotenes (E 160a) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
Food additives from the category of natural colourants obtained from carrots. They are insoluble in water, and the colour range varies from yellow to orange depending on the solvent used for extraction. Their use is permitted in all types of food products, according to recipe quantities.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Brilliant Blue FCF (E 133).

Additive Brilliant Blue FCF (E 133) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A synthetic colourant obtained from coal tar. It provides a blue colour and is permitted for use alone or in combination with other colourants in a wide range of products such as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, preserved fruit and vegetables, fat-based desserts, fruit- or milk-based desserts, cakes, biscuits, wafers, snacks, confectionery, fish preparations and preserves, processed cheese, sauces, condiments, mustard, food supplements and dietary preparations, etc.

• 2.44% of the studied protein bar products contain Azorubine (E 122).

Additive Azorubine (E 122) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A synthetic azo dye. It provides a red colour, is highly water-soluble, and is permitted for use in all types of foods (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, meat products, milk, eggs, vegetables, fruit, cereals, sweets, etc.), except those intended for infants and young children.

• 7.32% of the studied protein bar products contain Xanthan Gum (E 415).

Additive Xanthan Gum (E 415) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as an emulsifier, stabiliser, thickener, filler and anti-caking agent. It is a natural product obtained by fermenting sugar or molasses in the presence of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. It is used in recipe quantities in dairy products, sweets, creams, spreadable emulsified fats with or without flavours, sauces, toppings, dressings, snacks, ice cream, processed and preserved fruit and vegetables, meat products, fish, eggs, condiments, soups, broths, edible casings, plant-protein products, nutritional supplements, etc. It is also used as a carrier substance for other food additives.

• 7.32% of the studied protein bar products contain Modified Starch (E 1422).

Additive Modified Starch (E 1422) – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you – found in protein bars
A food additive acting as an anti-caking agent, thickener, stabiliser, emulsifier and carrier substance for other additives. It is a so-called “modified starch”, meaning starch subjected to a chemical process aimed at improving and adapting its properties to specific requirements, such as increasing stability at very high or very low temperatures, in acidic or alkaline environments, extending or shortening coagulation or gelling time, the ability to gel cold, changing texture, etc.
Modified starch has a higher capacity to absorb water, partially substitute fats, and form emulsions, and is used in milk-, meat-, egg-, fat- and cereal-based products, as well as confectionery, bakery and pastry products, preserved fruit, vegetables and fish, sauces, condiments, concentrated soups, creams, puddings, various desserts, flavoured alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, etc.

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TOP food additives / E-numbers in protein bar – InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you

InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you about protein bar products – From the perspective of food additives found in protein bar products:

Each analyzed protein bar product contains at least 1 food additive (E-number).

InfoCons Consumer Protection informs you about protein bar products – The number of E-numbers / food additives in protein bar products ranges between 1 and 17:

• 2.44% of protein bar products contain 17 E-numbers / food additives;
• 4.88% of protein bar products contain 11 E-numbers / food additives;
• 2.44% of protein bar products contain 10 E-numbers / food additives;
• 4.88% of protein bar products contain 9 E-numbers / food additives;
• 7.32% of protein bar products contain 8 E-numbers / food additives;
• 4.88% of protein bar products contain 7 E-numbers / food additives;
• 9.76% of protein bar products contain 6 E-numbers / food additives;
• 12.2% of protein bar products contain 5 E-numbers / food additives;
• 4.88% of protein bar products contain 4 E-numbers / food additives;
• 14.63% of protein bar products contain 3 E-numbers / food additives;
• 9.76% of protein bar products contain 2 E-numbers / food additives;
• 21.95% of protein bar products contain 1 E-number / food additive.