Food Additives

Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste, appearance, or other qualities. With the advent of processed foods in the second half of the 20th century, many more additives have been introduced, of both natural and artificial origin.

Types of Food Additives

Food additives can be classified into several groups, depending on their purpose. Some of the main categories include:

• Preservatives - These are added to food to prevent spoilage from bacteria, molds, fungus, and yeast. Examples include sodium benzoate, sulfites, and nitrites.
• Color additives - These are used to add or restore color in foods. Some color additives are caramel color, beta-carotene, and saffron.
• Flavor enhancers - These include substances that enhance the natural flavors of food without contributing a distinct flavor of their own. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a well-known example.
• Emulsifiers - These help mix ingredients together that would otherwise separate, like oil and water. Common emulsifiers include lecithin and mono- and diglycerides.
• Stabilizers - These substances help maintain the uniform dispersion of substances in a food. Examples include carrageenan and pectin.
• Thickeners - These increase the viscosity of a food. They include starches, gums, and gelatin.
• Sweeteners - These are added to food to sweeten it. They can be sugars, syrups, or artificial substances like aspartame and sucralose.

Regulation

The use of food additives is regulated by national and international agencies to ensure food safety. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the regulation of food additives; in the European Union, it is the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Safety and Health Concerns

While food additives are generally recognized as safe when used correctly, some additives have been linked to health issues. For example, certain artificial colorings have been associated with hyperactivity in children, and some preservatives have been linked to an increased risk of cancer.

See Also

• Food preservation
• Food coloring
• Food safety
• Nutrition