"BIOCHEMICAL AND NUTRITIONAL STUDIES ON SOME SYNTI-IETIC AND NATURAL FOOD ADDITIVES"

Abstract

In the present work haematological, biochemical and histopathological studies were carried out to evaluate the effect of synthetic food additives on the biological and physiological behaviour of rats in comparison with that of natural ones. Clove oil was used as natural preservative and flavour while carmine was use as natural red color. BHT was used as synthetic antioxidant, Aspartame as• synthetic sweetener, carmozine as synthetic red color in either its single dose or 2-fold dose treatments. Results showed a pronounced increase in RBCs count under the influence of aspartame, BHT and carmosine while no significant changes occur when using natural food additives (clove oil and Carmine). A significant decreases were observed in WBCs when usmg synthetic food additives (aspartame, BHT and carmosine) while when using natural food additives (clove oil and carmine) no significant changes were observed. The single and 2-fold dose treatments of synthetic food additives increased GOT and GPT activities when compared to their controls. BHT, aspartame, carmozine caused great increases in creatinine levels and caused a lot of disturbances. The three synthetic food additives used had great effect on the enzymatic symphony in the body, making a lot of disturbance and unbalancing in the enzymatic reactions. A large increase happen in the activity of 8 - Glutamyl transfease enzyme, which was represented as a great indicator for the disturbance happened. Alkaline phosphataseactivity and Uric acid showed a big increase when rats were treated with BHT, aspartame carmosine either in its single or 2- fold dose administration. Synthetic food additives under investigation increased the contents of bilirubin by single and 2- fold dose treatments and the changes were parallel to their repeated doses and showed great histopathological• changes which occur in all parts examined.