With all those food safety news featured on TV, it’s no wonder that food additives get a bad rap. Many food companies boast foods and beverages with little to no additives, with taglines such as “Ingredients lists you can pronounce.” In contrast, people worry when seeing chemical names on the back of your cereal box.
What are food additives, exactly? What kinds of additives are commonly-used, and do they deserve the reputation? Read on to learn more!
What are food additives?
Food additives refer to a range of substances added to food for different purposes. This includes giving the product its shape and form, enhancing the characteristics of the food, and/or extending its shelf life.
People in the past used to use salt, vinegar, spices and dyes to preserve and enhance their food. Nowadays, many manufacturers use additives alongside those natural methods to achieve the same results.
Types of food additives
Depending on the purposes, food additives can be divided into different categories.
Some common categories include:
Are they dangerous?
Long story short: it depends.
Many countries and regions regulate the usage of food additives, both for what addtives are allowed for use, and for the amount allowed to add. This ensures that manufacturers use additives in a manner that is safe for human consumption.
As long as the manufacturer follow food regulations and proper food practices, usage of food additives should be pretty safe!
Eat safely!
Nevertheless, there are some things you can do to enjoy your food safely: