Food Additive

By definition, food additives are distinguished from food or natural food constituents. A food is a natural food constituent becomes a food additive when added to another food.

Food additives must be included in the ingredient list on the nutrition information panel, either as the name and the number (e.g. calcium alginate (404)), or as its functions and number (e.g thickener (404)).

You can use this information to gain a better understanding of what is in the food you eat.

For example acidity regulators help maintain a constant acid level in foods to prevent them from spoiling, as well as change the flavor of the food.

Food additives are used in processed foods in relatively small quantities. Many substances used as food additives also occur naturally, such as vitamin C or ascorbic acid (300) in fruit or lecithin (322) in yolks, soybeans, peanuts and maize.

The FDA, the European Food Safety Authority and many international agencies monitor the safety of chemical added to food.

Some chemical additives such as food coloring, must be tested for safety by the manufacturer prior to being approved for the use in foods.

On the other hand, many kinds of food additives are not tested rigorously for safety before entering the food supply; safety issues arise only after an additive has been in use and a deleterious effect in consumers; health is suspected.
Food Additive