Additives in food are chemicals that manufacturers or processors add to foods for various reasons, such as to preserve foods or improve their appearance. Although food additives have been used for many years, some people have become concerned about their safety and want to minimize the amount of food additives they consume.
Food additives may be used for a variety of reasons, including:
To maintain the nutritional quality of a food
To help preserve the food, resulting in a longer shelf life
To make foods more attractive to consumers in a manner that is not deceptive
Some specific examples of food additives and their functions include:
Anti-caking agents that keep powders running freely (for example, magnesium carbonate in icing sugar)
Colors (natural and synthetic) that give food an appetizing appearance (for example, carotene in butter and cheese)
Enzymes that are involved in desired chemical reactions in foods (for example, rennet in curdling milk in the making of cheese)
Preservatives that inhibit the growth of molds, yeast, or bacteria (for example, sodium diacetate in bread)
Texture-modifying agents that provide a desired consistency in foods (for example, diglycerides in ice cream)
The following substances are not regulated as food additives:
Common ingredients such as salt, sugar, and starch
Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids which are added to improve the nutritional quality of a food
Spices, seasonings, and flavorings
Agricultural chemicals
Food packaging materials
Veterinary drugs
Your government health organizations works to ensure that the food additives allowed in your country do not pose a health hazard when used according to the established Regulations. If new information raises concerns about a currently permitted food additive, the information is assessed. When necessary and can either change the conditions under which a food additive can be used, or remove the food additive from the Regulations so it is no longer allowed.
Food additives allow manufacturers to provide a wide variety of convenient and enjoyable foods. Generally speaking, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, and milk will reduce the amount of food additives you eat, as compared to eating processed foods.Read the labels on food products and find out what is in the foods you buy. In Canada and the U.S., most pre-packaged foods have to carry a list of ingredients, including food additives.
In general, the list must show the ingredients in descending order of proportion by weight, so that the major ingredients are found at the beginning of the list. However, some ingredients, including food additives (which are often present in food in much smaller amounts), spices, flavors, vitamins, and minerals are allowed to appear at the end of the list in any order, regardless of their proportion.
