FOOD PRESERVATIVES IN OUR DAILY LIFE

Form ancient time, men learnt to preserve the excessive food after the harvesting time in order to keep the food for long winter months,  food storage, resale and easy to conduct barter to overseas or inland. The method of food preservation is very important because the food is easy to spoil. For example, a large amount of fruits are harvesting and the farmers have to use the food preservatives in order to lengthen the consuming period. The most common method is pickle the fruits by using concentrated salt water. Actually, most of the food preservatives are related to organic chemistry and we used them in our daily life. So, let us discover the food preservatives which are more commonly used in the daily life.

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium benzoate is the most commonly used as the food preservative. Sodium is the first food preservative that are approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration). This is because the sodium benzoate can be produced in a large amount by low cost. And the sodium benzoate is relatively low toxicity compared to others chemical food preservatives. Sodium benzoate is actually used to inhibit the growth of yeasts and molds that are easily spoiled the food. Besides, sodium benzoate is also can used to inhibit and slower the growth of certain bacteria. Thus, the food can be preserved longer. In addition, sodium benzoate is soluble and commonly used in food. Sodium benzoate with the concentration of 0.1% to 0.3% can inhibit or inactivate the Bacillus cereus, E. coli, Lactobacillus species and other bacteria. These are the reasons why sodium benzoate is widely used in the world.

Structure of Sodium benzoate

The chemical formula of sodium benzoate is Na (C₂H₅COO). The formation of sodium benzoate is actually made up by sodium salt and benzoic acid when they dissolved in water, Sodium benzoate also can be produced by using sodium hydroxide and benzoic acid at the laboratory experiment.

 Side Effects of Sodium Benzoate in HEALTH

• ·         Attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Sodium benzoate might bring the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. ADHD is common symptom that can be found among the children and the adult also. The patient who affected by this symptom may be forgetful, hardly to pay attention and also occur directions or display impulsiveness.

• ·         Asthma Attacks

According to the Mayo Clinic, it stated that sodium benzoate may cause asthma attack and also might lead to death if the condition of asthma is very severe. Asthma is actually causing the difficulty of the breathing by narrowing and swelling the trachea.

• ·         Hypertension

Nowadays, hypertension is the most common symptom that affected the people. Sodium that contains in sodium benzoate is highly increasing the risk of having high blood pressure, or hypertension.

Example of food which adding sodium benzoate

In the nutshell, please try to reduce the intake of sodium benzoate because it is harmful to our bodies and it also brings many diseases to us.

Ethanol

Ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH) is one of the examples used as food preservative. It can be used in wine and also other foods. For example: the fruits which stored in brandy. Ethanol usually can be found in the alcoholic beverages. Ethanol is commonly inhibiting the growth of microorganisms or controls the fermentation of the yeast. Ethanol can be produced by using fermentation of yeast, sugars and starch. Ethanol is a clear, volatile and has high solubility in water.

Structure of Ethanol

The chemical formula of ethanol is C₂H₅OH. Ethanol can be produced when the ethane reacts with steam. The formation of ethanol is reversible.

Side effects of Ethanol

The abuse of ethanol has many different types of side effects. Mostly, the abuse of ethanol will cause some severe problems.

• ·         Diseases.

The excessive of the consuming of ethanol will cause many diseases. For example, liver and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and are damaging the nervous system. The abuse of ethanol not only affects the health of a human being, it will also effect the mental and cause psychological diseases. For examples, depression, anxiety, antisocial personality disorders. Ethanol not only harms the body system and also changes the mental.

• ·         Accident will increase.

 Based on the statistics, most of the car accidents were causing by the abuse of ethanol. The ethanol was affecting their mental and reduced their consciousness. 

In conclusion, ethanol should be used wisely in our diet. This is because excessive intake of ethanol will harm and damage the body system. Thus, the government should be controlled the alcoholic beverages in the terms of protecting the people from being affected badly by the ethanol.

In conclusion, ethanol should be used wisely in our diet. This is because excessive intake of ethanol will harm and damage the body system. Thus, the government should be controlled the alcoholic beverages in the terms of protecting the people from being affected badly by the ethanol.

References:

1. Essential Of Functional Foods. Author: Mary K. Schmidl, Theodore P. Labuza Publisher: An Aspen Publication (2000) pg 76
2. Excel HSC Chemistry Author: Jim Stamell Publisher: Pascal Press 2008 pg 87

Drugs Used in Our Daily Life

What is drug? Drug is simply that the chemical taken that will affect the ways of the body works. Drugs (a.k.a. modern medicines) may come in many forms such as liquids, powders, capsules and tablets. Undeniably, drugs are proliferated used in medical fields in order to relieve pain of the patients and basically they play a vital role. Make use of drugs can definitely bring benefits to the people, while on the other hand, for the people who tend to involve themselves in drug abuse that is illegal in society will  lead to an in-harmonic scenario to be happened. Generally, drugs can be classified into analgesics (a.k.a. painkillers), antibiotics and psychotherapeutic medicines. 

(A) Analgesics or Painkillers

• Used to relieve pain without causing or affecting consciousness
• Examples: Aspirin, Paracetamol, Codeine

Acetyl salicylic acid

The IUPAC name of aspirin is acetyl salicylic acid.
Aspirin is acidic in nature. Hence, it cannot be taken without taking any meal. Overdoses of aspirin will bring side effects:-
(i) It causes internal bleeding and ulceration. To reduce irritation of the wall of stomach, aspirin is encouraged to be swallowed with plenty of warm water and is encouraged to take after meal.
(ii) It causes brain and liver to damage if aspirin is given to the children with flu or chicken pox. Thus, aspirin should never be given to children.



The chemical name for paracetamol is N-acetyl-p-aminophenol.
 It is known as 'fever-reducer'. The most common brand's company that manufacture paracetamol is Panadol.

N-acetyl-p-aminophenol

(i) Unlike aspirin, paracetamol can be given to the children as it does not irritate the stomach or cause internal bleeding.
(ii) Overdoses of paracetamol can cause skin rashes and acute inflammation of the pancreas.



The systemic name for codeine is (5α,6α)-3-Methoxy-17-methyl-7,8-didehydro-4,5-epoxymorphinan-6-ol.

(5α,6α)-3-Methoxy-17-methyl-7,8-
didehydro-4,5-epoxymorphinan-6-ol

Codeine is more powerful compared to paracetamol and aspirin. Codeine is used as analgesic used in headache tablets and in cough medicines. Most of the codeine is made up of morphine. Overdoses of it will cause:-
(i) Drowsiness
(ii) Addiction
(iii) Depression

(B) Antibiotics 

• Antibiotics are usually obtained from microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi
• Used to kill or slow down the growth of bacteria
• Used to treat diseases caused by bacteria, but not the diseases caused by viruses such as colds and flu
• Examples: Penicillin, Streptomycin

Different kinds of antibiotics can fight against different kinds of bacteria.

(2S,5R,6R)-3,3-Dimethyl-7-oxo-
6-[(phenylacetyl)amino]-4-thia-1-
azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-2-carboxylic acid

1,1'-[(1R,2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-4-
({5-Deoxy-2-O-[2-deoxy-2-(methylamino)-
α-L-glucopyranosyl]-3-C-formyl-α-L-
lyxofuranosyl}oxy)-
2,5,6-trihydroxy-1,3-
cyclohexanediyl]diguanidine

Penicillin is extracted from Penicilium notatum.
It is used to treat bacterial diseases such as pneumia, gonorrhoea and syphillis.

Streptomycin is produced by soil bacteria.
It is used to treat tuberculosis and whooping cough.






Patients should take the full course of the antibiotic that doctor prescribe to him/her even he/she feels better. This is to make sure that all the bacteria in the human's body are all killed completely. Otherwise, he/she will fall ill again and the bacteria will tend to resistance to the antibiotic given. In this case, antibiotic will no longer effective to treat the particular  disease. A different and stronger antibiotic is needed to be prescribed from the doctor to cure the disease.
Overdoses of antibiotic will cause headache, allergic reaction and diarrhea.

(C) Psychotherapeutic medicines

• Group of drugs to treat mental or emotional illness. But these medicines do not cure mental illness. 
• Psychotherapeutic medicines are divided into stimulants, antidepressants and antipsychotic.

1. Stimulants

• Stimulate the activity of the brain and central nervous system
• Make a person to be more alert, energetic, less tired and more cheerful
• Examples: Caffeine, Amphetamines 

     

1,3,7-trimethylpurine-2,6-dione

Caffeine is a weak stimulant and usually is found in Cola drinks and coffee.

1-phenylpropan-2-amine

Amphetamine is a strong stimulant compared to caffeine. It increases a person's alertness and physical ability. Overdose of it will cause addiction, heart attack, anxiety, sleeplessness, aggressive behaviour and decrease appetite.

2. Depressants

• Make a person to feel calm and sleepy to reduce tension and anxiety
• Examples, Tranquillizers, Barbiturates (sleeping pills)

- Tranquillizers are used to reduce tension and anxiety of a person without making him sleepy. Overdoses of tranquillizers can cause drowsiness and poor coordination, respiratory difficulties, sleeplessness, coma and even death.

- Barbiturates are also known as sleeping pills are used to help to reduce tension and anxiety of a person but making him to be sleepy. Barbiturates can cause addiction to the people who always face the problem of insomnia. Sometime tragedy would happen if the people take overdose of barbiturate.

3. Antipsychotic

• Psychosis is one of the serious mental illnesses which people lose touch with reality.
• People may hear voices things that are not really there or have belief that are not based on reality.
• Used to reduce the symptoms of the psychosis so that the people live a more normal life but cannot treat psychosis.
• Examples: Chlorpromazine, Haloperidol, Clozapine 

Besides the drugs that have been stated above, there are still many kinds of drugs that can be found in our daily life. For example, Heroin, Ketamine, Opium and etc.

Warmth reminders here to everyone:

1. Seek professional advice from doctors or pharmacists before taking any drugs.

2. Do not take a large dose of any drugs.

3. Keep the medicines away from the children.

4. Store the medicines in the cool and dry place.

5. Check out the expiry date before buying any medicines.

References:

• http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/whoami/findoutmore/yourbrain/howdodrugsaffectyourbrain/whatisadrug.aspx - What is drug (Accessed on 23rd July 2014)
• Delgoda, K., L., Clarke, S.,F.,J., Collignon, U., Karalliedde, J., 2010, Adverse Drug Interactions: A Handbook for Prescribers, CRC Press, page 251-258
• Christine, Z., W., 2014, Antibiotics, ABDO Publishers, page 38-39
• http://drugs.webmd.boots.com/drugs/drug-356-paracetamol.aspx?drugid=356&drugname=paracetamol&istictac=false - Uses, dosages and side effects of paracetamol  (Accessed on 23rd July 2014)
• http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.5693.html - IUPAC name for organic chemicals (Accessed on 23rd July 2014)