Why do we require artificial sweetening agents?

A large number of people in the world are suffering from diseases such as diabetes and obesity. They are advised to reduce their calorie intake. These people cannot take normal sugar (sucrose) as it is harmful to them since they add many calories. Therefore, artificial sweetening agents that do not add to the calorie intake of a person are required. These get excreted from the body in the urine unchanged. Saccharin ( 500 times as sweet as sucrose), aspartame ( 160 times as sweet as sucrose) and alitame are a few examples of artificial sweeteners.

What are food preservatives?

Chemicals which are capable of inhibiting or arresting the process of fermentation (glucose are broken down anaerobically), acidification or any other decomposition of food are called preservatives. Food preservatives are chemical substances that prevent food from spoilage due to microbial growth. Some common examples of food preservatives are table salt, sugar, vegetable oil, sodium benzoate C 6 H 3 C O O N a . Sodium benzoate is used in limited quantities and is metabolised in the body. Salts of sorbic acid and propanoic acid are also used as preservatives.

What is tincture of iodine? What is its use?

Iodine is a powerful antiseptic. Tincture of iodine is a 2 - 3 % solution of iodine in an alcohol-water mixture. It is applied to wounds as an antiseptic. It kills all the microbes present in the wounded region.