L-Cysteine, with a side of duck feathers, please.

There is a naturally occurring protein that we all need, get in abundance through natural food sources, and yet must conscientiously check food labels to ensure it’s absence.  It’s not the “what” but the “how” on this one.  How they choose to add this particular protein into commercially processed foods is less than appetizing. 

 

L-Cysteine as an Amino Acid

L-Cysteine is a nonessential amino acid.  This means that although your body does need it, it does not need to come from your food because your body can synthesize it through other amino acids.  In other words, the general population (in America, anyway) does not need to worry about not getting enough of it.  It’s found in most high protein foods, such as meat, cheese, and wheat germ.

 

L-Cysteine as Food Additive

It’s used as a dough strengthener and as a flavor additive; you’ll find it most commonly within purchased bread or baked items, both in the grocery store and in the fast food restaurant. The FDA requires the food be labeled if it is used as a dough enhancer; it can by law supply .0009 part per 100 parts flour for baked goods. The FDA does not require its addition onto the food label if it was added as a “natural flavoring”.   It’s colorless and odorless, it’s slightly soluble in alcohol and in plain water, and is fully soluble in an acidic solution (Burdock, 1999).

 

In baking, L-Cysteine reduces the dough development time and makes it much easier to shape and form for specialty baked goods (those croissants, for instance).  It’s also used as a dough softener in products like biscuits (Cauvain, 2003).

 

The Common Sources for L-Cysteine

For those, who for medical reasons must supplement with this amino acid, this is the one time I would say that synthetic is better!  In 2001, a German company found a way to produce it synthetically, but it’s still expensive and so has not become commonplace yet in the mainstream of commercial food production.  The common sources are human hair, pig hoof, and duck feathers.  Today, nearly 80% of all L-Cysteine is derived through Chinese duck feathers (based upon recent sales figures from manufacturers).

 

Ten years ago, the most common source was human hair found on the floor of overseas’ barber shops! Although this practice has subsided, it still happens and finds its’ way into American food.  Due to the high presence of L-cysteine found within human hair, it is derived this way by first treating the hair with Copper Oxide and then decomposing the copper-cysteine complex with hydrogen sulfide.  Hydrogen Sulfide is also known as “sewer gas” because of its’ ability to quickly break down waste (Burdock, 1999).

 

Conclusion

 The argument for L-Cysteine is this—it is reduced to mere chemicals before added to your food, so it isn’t as though you are really eating human hair.  Ack. This is one of those personal choices you must make: are you going to add this to the “ban” list for your home?  If so, it will be difficult unless you make all of your dough-products at home.

 

For me, I choose to be an informed consumer and prefer to never touch the stuff—when I knowingly have the choice.  This does mean making most dough products at home and eliminating fast food from our diet.  Is this fool-proof?  Probably not.  But I have the knowledge that my family (for the most part) is eating wholesome food that promotes health instead of compromising it.

 

 

 I did use a wider variety of sources for my initial research, but all facts were confirmed in the following scientific journal articles and textbooks.  So to give you a cleaner trail if you would like to do some follow-up reading, these are the ones I suggest. If you are looking for fast food information, read Yacoubou, found easily online.  

 

Sources:

Burdock, G. A. (1999). Encyclopedia of food and color additives. CRC.

 

Cauvain, S. P. (2003). Bread making, improving quality. CRC.

 

Yacoubou, J. (2011). Everything you ever wanted to know about l-cysteine but were afraid to ask. Retrieved from http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faqingredients.htm


Amino Acid Studies. (2014).  L-Cysteine.  Retrieved from http://aminoacidstudies.org/l-cysteine/

 

Photo credit:  Duck by SteveK

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