This article was taken from the June 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Each month Wired's chemist Dr John Emsley deconstructs an everyday product. He is author of 110 research papers and ten books, including A Healthy, Wealthy, Sustainable World (Royal Society of Chemistry)
INGREDIENTS
Listed:
Water
Soybeans
Wheat
Salt
Unlisted but produced by fermentation:
Potassium chloride
Fructose
Monosodium glutamate
Lactic acid
Lysine
Leucine
Glucose
Succinic acid
Acetic acid
Alcohol
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE (E508, KCl)
As the potassium sister of common salt, it is essential for the nervous system. It is also used as an agricultural fertiliser.
FRUCTOSE (Fruit sugar, C6H12O6)
Almost twice as sweet as sugar, it occurs naturally in honey.
High-fructose corn syrup has been linked with obesity, diabetes and cancer.
MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (E621, C5H8NNaO4)
This is an amino acid found in every cell in the body. Widely used as a food additive, it is part of the meaty umami flavour.
ALCOHOL (C2H5OH)
This category includes ethanol and bioethanol (alcohol made using biological materials), which has been hailed as the fuel of the future.
ACETIC ACID (E260, C2H4O2)
It naturally occurs in fermentation, but the version used in adhesives, cigarette filters and aspirin is made industrially from natural gas.
SUCCINIC ACID (E363, C4H6O4)
Used industrially to make dyes, perfumes, resins and medicines, it is also added to confectionery and bread dough to make them more pliable.
GLUCOSE (C6H12O6)
This is the simplest and most abundant carbohydrate produced by plants, which convert it to the natural polymers starch and cellulose.
LEUCINE (E641, C6H13NO2)
Common in meat, eggs, fish and pulses, this amino acid helps repair damaged muscle. Often taken as a food supplement by bodybuilders.
LACTIC ACID (E270, C3H6O3)
Found in milk, bread, meat and beer, it is added to skin creams and is a component of polylactic acid (PLA), used in carpets and easy-iron textiles.
LYSINE (C6H14N2O2)
An essential amino acid found in red meat, eggs, beans, fish and soya. It is used to treat cold sores, but high doses can harm the kidneys.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
