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Probiotic
This term, as a noun or adjective, has previously been used to refer to 'microorganisms and substances which contribute to the intestinal microbial balance'. However, the inclusion of 'substances' created the paradox that antibiotics could be probiotics if they were specific enough to destroy harmful bacteria thereby restoring the intestinal microbial balance. Accordingly, it is now suggested that 'probiotic' should be taken to refer to 'a live microbial preparation, either as a food or animal feed, which can benefit the host through restoring its intestinal microbial balance'. The microorganisms most commonly involved as probiotics are the Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, Streptococci and some yeasts and moulds. Probiotic preparations may have one or a mixture of organisms of various genera, species, sub-species or strains, and may take a variety of physical forms. There is conflicting evidence, and controversy, about the extent to which colon flora can be influenced by oral administration of the various microorganisms involved, at the levels found in conventional foods.
Processed
Having been subjected to treatment designed to change one or more of the properties (physical, chemical, microbiological, sensory) of food.
Processing aid (updated for this on-line version)
The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 states "processing aid" means any substance not consumed as a food by itself, intentionally used in the processing of raw materials, foods or their ingredients, to fulfil a certain technological purpose during treatment or processing, and which may result in the unintentional but technically unavoidable presence of residues of the substance or its derivatives in the final product, provided that these residues do not present any health risk and do not have any technological effect on the finished product. It follows that a processing aid is an additive which facilitates processing without significantly influencing the character or properties of the finished product. Examples would be a tablet release agent used to coat the inside of tablet moulds, or a spray used to allow bread to be released from baking tins or trays. There are, however, anomalous instances. For example, if an anti-caking agent is added to a powder ingredient to facilitate its flow properties while being conveyed to a mixer, where it is incorporated into a liquid product or a dough for baking, the anti-caking agent is used solely as a processing aid, and hence need not be declared. If however, that powder ingredient is directly packed into containers for sale as such, or is incorporated in a dry mix product, the anti-caking agent is not acting solely as a processing aid and must be declared as an additive.
Pure
This word is used as a marketing term, and is usually applied to a single ingredient with no additions, e.g. pure vegetable oil, pure orange juice, whether in the form of a single ingredients food or when used as a major ingredient of a compound food.
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