Food additives are substances added to foods to achieve specific purposes such as preservation, enhancing flavor, improving appearance, or modifying texture. They are not normally consumed as foods by themselves and are used during food manufacturing, processing, preparation, packaging, transport, or storage. Additives can be natural or synthetic and are rigorously tested for safety before approval for use
. Common purposes of food additives include:
- Preservatives: Extend shelf life by preventing microbial growth.
- Colours: Add or restore color to make food more appealing.
- Sweeteners: Provide sweetness, sometimes as alternatives to sugar.
- Antioxidants: Prevent oxidation that causes rancidity and color changes.
- Emulsifiers and stabilizers: Help mix ingredients like oil and water and maintain texture.
- Flavourings and flavour enhancers: Improve or add taste and aroma.
- Anti-caking agents: Prevent clumping in powdered foods.
- Thickeners and gelling agents: Improve texture and consistency
There are also nutritional additives, such as vitamins and minerals, added to enrich foods and address dietary deficiencies
. In summary, food additives serve technological and sensory functions to improve food safety, quality, and consumer appeal, and their use is regulated to ensure safety
