Food additives include flavoring extracts, syrups, emulsifiers, anti-oxidants, fortifiers and other substances that are added to food products to enhance processing, texture, flavor, or other characteristics. Natural foods are subject to many conditions (including temperature change, oxidation, and bacteria) that change the food’s composition. Food additives are used mainly in processed foods, but can also be used in organic foods.
Food additives are an important part of the food processing industry. They help to maintain the quality and characteristics of natural food and keep it both safe and appealing. Food additives can be either natural (vinegar, salt, or sulfur dioxide) or man-made. Commonly used food additives include acids, acidity regulators, anticaking or antifoaming agents, antioxidants, bulking agents, food coloring, emulsifiers, flavor ehancers, humectants, preservatives, stabilizers, sweeteners, or thickeners. Specific types of food additives include alginate, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, propionate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, carrageenan, casein, and citric acid.
Food additives include flavoring extracts, syrups, emulsifiers, anti-oxidants, fortifiers and other substances that are added to food products to enhance processing, texture, flavor, or other characteristics. Natural foods are subject to many conditions (including temperature change, oxidation, and bacteria) that change the food’s composition. Food additives are used mainly in processed foods, but can also be used in organic foods.
Food additives are an important part of the food processing industry. They help to maintain the quality and characteristics of natural food and keep it both safe and appealing. Food additives can be either natural (vinegar, salt, or sulfur dioxide) or man-made. Commonly used food additives include acids, acidity regulators, anticaking or antifoaming agents, antioxidants, bulking agents, food coloring, emulsifiers, flavor ehancers, humectants, preservatives, stabilizers, sweeteners, or thickeners. Specific types of food additives include alginate, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, propionate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, carrageenan, casein, and citric acid.
Food additive preservatives are used to prevent food from spoiling too quickly due to the growth of bacteria or other microorganisms. Food preservatives are either antimicrobials (which keep food from browning or spoiling), or antioxidants (which suppress the oxidation process and minimize the damage to amino acids), or both. By law, all preservatives and food addtives must be listed by their common or usual name on the labels of the foods in which they are contained. Another common type of preservative is monosodium glutamate (MGS). The MSG preservative is made up of sodium and gutamic acid. MSG is also a food enhancer commonly used in certain sauces and soups. A non-preservatives food is a food that is kept in its natural or organic state.
There is some debate over whether a harmful food additive can result in negative food additive effects or even a food additive allergy. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the use of food additives and preservatives. Food additives and preservatives have only rarely been shown to have adverse effects or cause true allergic reactions.
