Elżbieta and Jacek Wojaczyński – spouses with DSc degrees, specializing in chemistry – are talking about health food and common sense. She works at the Wrocław University of Technology Division of Organic Chemistry, and he – at the University of Wrocław Faculty of Chemistry.
Do the Wojaczynskis often cook togehter?
Elżbieta Wojaczyńska: At our home it is usually me that cooks, sometimes our daughters help me. But whenever it is possible, we eat together.
Jacek Wojaczyński: Also, we often buy comestibles together and think about the dishes that we could prepare.
Do you read the labels on the products thoroughly?
EW: Frankly speaking, seldom. Maybe because we are aware that the “E” substances utilized during production are not necessarily harmful. Moreover, they are often needed to ensure the required shelf-life or improve its aesthetics.
Does it mean we do not have to be afraid of these “E”s?
EW: I would say that we should not be paranoid about them. The number of such compounds in a product is, or at least should be, very small. All of these substances have been examined, tested and approved to be used as food additives. Manufacturers also try to protect themselves and provide information on the labels that a particular additive may, for example, cause an allergic reaction.
JW: There are, of course, situations where the number of these additives is much too high. You can feel that in the taste or sometimes the colour of the product is unnatural. It may also happen that someone is allergic to a particular ingredient. People with allergy or asthma are more susceptible to such situations and should avoid certain products.
So, it is right to say that a product has a “chemical taste”?
EW: This is true. Our taste buds cannot be deceived so easily. Although one has to admit that our body gets accustomed to certain tastes and becomes immune to them. Hence, the feeling of taste may be a very individual one.
However, some “E”s are safe and some are not. We are even warned that some of them may be carcinogenic.
EW: Should it be proven, such a compound would be immediately withdrawn from use. It also happens that some substances are withdrawn from the list of approved compounds if there are some doubts about their use and can be replaced with another substance. I would like to remind that the “E” code denotes food additives considered safe by the appropriate EU institutions (“E” stands for Europe): colourings (E100-E199), preservatives (E200-E299), antioxidants (E300-E399), and many other substances improving the looks, taste, smell, and shelf-life of food products.
JW: Remember that these are not only synthetic substances but also natural colourings obtained, for instance, from beetroots (betanin, E162), curcuma (curcumin, E100), chlorophyll or anthocyanins. The red colouring known as carminic acid (E120) is obtained from insects called cochineals.
EW: This colouring is used, for instance, in yoghurts. When we once told children during a lecture about the source of the pink colour of yoghurts, some of them were terrified.
JW: It should not be mistaken with Cochineal Red A (E124) that we know may cause allergic reactions. The harmfulness of these substances to a large extent depends on a person’s vulnerability but also on the quantities that we consume. Already Paracelsus noted that “All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; only the dose permits something not to be poisonous.”
EW: Also, such substances as tocopherols (E306-E309) or ascorbic acid (E300) are used as antioxidants extending the shelf-life of products. Although their names do not sound familiar to most, these are nothing else but vitamin E and C, respectively, which are necessary for our bodies to function properly. Of course, fruit is a much better source of vitamin C – it is much bettered absorbed than the synthetic one.
JW: This is because, although this is the same compound, in natural form it is accompanied by other substances that facilitate its absorption.
Is it possible for contemporary food to be produced without chemistry?
EW: In my opinion – no. We are often frightened that food producers poison us and that only organic food is healthy. But this is often just pumping up the market and letting the producers rake it in. In fact, it is today practically impossible to grow a tomato without using some crop protecting chemicals or fertilizers. Of course, you can always go for the natural substances but they are not always successful. We have our own kitchen garden so we know the problems of crop growing.
JW: Two years ago, Germany was hit by the “cucumbergate”. It turned out that the source of the infection that led to the death of many people was the sprouts from an organic farm. It is not always that “natural” equals “healthy”! Anyhow, the division of substances into natural and synthetic is in fact artificial – everything around us and we ourselves are composed of chemical compounds that undergo constant changes. Afterall, this is the essence of life.
EW: People tend to think unilaterally that chemistry is poisoning us. On the other hand, we may pay a higher price for avoiding the use of chemistry. Try to imagine life without the achievements of chemistry: antibiotics and other synthetic medicines, without disinfection chemicals or plastics. Chemistry is the fundament of contemporary civilization – do we want to go back to primeval times? Actually, already then people (although unaware) carried out chemical reactions, for example by using fire to roast meat (burning itself is a chemical process). And already then dioxins appeared that we are warned about today.
JW: With time, there occurred the need to store food for a longer time and people started to use salt (sodium chloride) as a preservative. Later, saltpetre (sodium or potassium nitrate) appeared and it is used still today for pickling meat. On the one hand we want as little chemistry in our food as possible but on the other hand we like cold meats to have a tempting colour and we do not want to be poisoned by botulinus.
But the mass media keep warning about the harmfulness of sodium glutamate, sulphur dioxide, pesticides...
EW: I will repeat: in all this, it is important to show moderation. Please remember that the use of these substances is subject to a number of norms and regulations. For sure it is worth paying attention to the provenance of products, buying food made by reliable producers, and reading the labels if the appearance of the product raises doubts.
JW: Sulphur dioxide and related substances (traditionally called sulphites) have been used for very long time as a preservative in wines and fruit preserves (no better method has been developed so far). They may be harmful but only in doses much higher than approved by the regulations. If someone drinks a couple of bottles of wine, probably he or she will have a headache. Sodium glutamate, on the other hand, is a traditional element of Chinese cuisine and we do not hear about mass deaths or diseases among the Chinese caused by it. Obviously, they are accustomed to large quantities of this substance.
EW: For sure, when we hear the word “chemistry” or the name of a complex chemical compound, a warning light switches on in our minds. We are afraid of things that we do not understand.
And when someone tells us that we are regularly poisoned...
JW: Precisely, and in fact this is not the case. But the level of awareness and basic chemical knowledge is appalling. Some time ago, a happening was organized in the USA during which people were encouraged to sign a petition on banning the use of a chemical substance called dihydrogen monoxide. Solid arguments were provided, as well as examples (it is the main ingredient of acid rains, it can be found in cancerous tissues, it destroys metals). Many people signed this petition. And the substance in question was just pure water. (laughter)
EW: A picture circulates in the web that shows a regular, organic apple under which its chemical composition has been presented. What you can’t find there: various metals, colourings, acids (pantothenic, folic, ascorbic, stearic, oleic, salicylic), saccharides, niacin, and a number of other chemical compounds. I wonder whether people would be so willing to buy such fruit if it had an appropriate label.
But let’s get back to kitchen. What should we pay special attention to when preparing dishes?
EW: Certainly, we should be careful about the fats we use for frying. We should avoid fats that decompose in high temperatures (for instance, margarine used for spreading on bread is not suitable for frying). We should also strive not to burn the dishes. And on the top of all, we should use all ingredients, such as sugar, salt, baking powder, with moderation.
Do you sometimes wonder how cooking will look like in the future? Or what the future kitchen would be like?
EW: Do you mean molecular gastronomy? For me as a scientists, it sounds very interesting. It means employing techniques and equipment used everyday in laboratories to achieve interesting visual and taste effects. However, for me as a gourmet it sounds horrifying! I want to eat natural vegetables, real meat and bread tasting like bread.
JW: Already half a century ago, experiments were carried out on synthetic food, with astronauts in mind. It turned out that people can live many weeks drinking only a syrup consisting of a few basic ingredients – glucose, amino acids, simple fats, mineral salts, vitamins, and – of course – water. I suspect, however, that they felt a relief when they returned to the traditional way of nourishment. Today in our laboratories we can make compositions of taste and smell, thank to which synthetic food could be much more attractive. But I am sure that (fortunately!) it will take long before it becomes something more than a curiosity.
Iwona Szajner, translation: Dariusz Więcławski