Abstract

HIDDEN DANGERS: EXPLORING THE LONG-TERM HEALTH RISKS AND TOXICITY OF ARTIFICIAL FOOD ADDITIVES

Dr. Pallavi Joshi*, Dr. Ramesh Chandra Tiwari*, Dr. Manisha Dikshit, Dr. Ved Bhushan Sharma and Dr. Bhawana Mittal

ABSTRACT

Food additives are chemicals that are added to industrially produced or processed foods in order to improve their safety, prolong their shelf life, and to change their sensory qualities. Additives may serve various purposes,including flavor enhancement (e.g., MSG), artificial coloring (e.g., tartrazine), spoiling prevention (e.g., sodium benzoate), and prolonged shelf life (e.g., antioxidants BHT/BHA). There is growing scientific proof that synthetic chemicals used as food additives can have negative health effects if they are regularly consumed over an extended period of time. These effects include slow, cumulative toxicity that develops over time and causes chronic health problems. This idea can be integrated with Dushivisha in Ayurveda. According to Acharya Sushrut, Dushivish is a kind of poison whether Sthavara (origin from plants), Jangam (having origin from animals) or kritrim (artificial) which has not gone out of body completely, having less potency, which has previously undergone detoxification by the antipoisonous drugs,and due to lack of its natural characteristics, does not kill the person quickly but shows harmful effects on body for manyyears. Because of the Avarana action by Kapha, this low potency poison is retained in the body for a long period without producing any grave or fatal symptoms. By applying this concept to food additives, we can think of certain chemicals or substances in food that, when consumed regularly, may not cause immediate harm but could lead to gradual imbalances or toxicity within the body. This review aims to explore how various additives contribute to toxicity and result in a range of health issues. It also discusses strategies to mitigate their harmful effects in the future by incorporating natural food additives and herbal formulations that promote detoxification, rejuvenation, and the strengthening of the immune system.

Keywords: Food additives,Preservatives, Dushivisha, Toxicity, Ayurveda, Rejuvination.