Are There Ingredients Obtained From “Hair” in Pastry Products?

A 2016 study found that these products are in the making from time to time, human hair and pig hair may be used. and people who were faced with such information stated that they ended the consumption of dough-based products by making this issue viral in various media.

What is the basis of these claims, and if this is indeed the case? Why do manufacturers need it?

In order to determine whether human hair or animal hair is included in food, we first need to talk about the existence of a type of amino acid.

Cysteine ​​(Cys, C), one of the 20 amino acids that make up proteins It is an organic compound containing sulfur. As with other amino acids, cysteine ​​contains both L- and D-, a type of substance composed of identical elements combined in identical proportions. Our focus is L-Cysteine.

This amino acid is usually found in proteins and is used as a stopping agent, so to speak, in bakery products.

L-Cysteine, numbered E910, E920, and E921; It is used to minimize the mixing time of flour dough, to prevent various dough layers such as pizza and bread from shrinking after spreading, and to maintain the shape of the dough.

Briefly, this substance is used in various pastry processes. It contributes to the movement of the dough and minimizes the cooking time of the products. This extends the shelf life of the products and speeds up the processing.

So far everything is reasonable. However, there is a surprising fact that this substance is also found in human hair and pig hair.

L-Cysteine ​​is of course produced and synthesized in laboratories, but this can sometimes be costly and manufacturers are at the point of access to this substance. cheaper and natural cost it wishes.

At this point, the first question that comes to mind is, “If the dough-based products we consume do not exist, our hair or pig hair that we do not prefer to consume do you have?” is happening.

Also, according to some reports, most of the hair used to make L-Cysteine ​​is collected from barbers and hairdressers. So what is the situation in our country?

In summary, L-Cysteine ​​is basically produced in laboratories and added to foods, but human hair can also replace this substance at this point and find its place in foods. As for us Is it a laboratory product or human hair in the food we consume? It is almost impossible to distinguish.

On the subject of pig hair, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, on its own website, is produced from pigs. L-Cysteine ​​to our country forbidden to enter is stated to be.

Again, it can be checked whether there are E910, E920 and E921 codes on the food and if if these codes are found, that product contains L-Cysteine means.