What are Food Additives and examples?
Food additives refer to artificial or natural substances added to food to improve food quality and color, aroma and taste, as well as for preservation, freshness and processing needs. These substances can be chemically synthesized or naturally present, but they must be added to food under certain conditions to achieve specific technical effects.
The main characteristics of food additives include:
Substances added to food: Food additives are deliberately added to food to distinguish them from naturally present ingredients in food.
Have specific functions: They can improve the quality of food, increase the nutritional value of food, extend the shelf life of food, etc.
There are many types: including preservatives, antioxidants, colorants, flavoring agents, thickeners and other types.
Examples of common food additives and their functions:
Preservatives: such as sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, etc., used to prevent food from spoiling and extending the shelf life of food.
Antioxidants: such as vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E, etc., used to prevent the oxidation of fats in food and maintain the color and flavor of food.
Colorants: such as lemon yellow and carmine, used to improve the appearance of food and make it more attractive.
Flavoring agents: such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and sodium cyclamate, used to enhance the flavor of food and make it taste better.
Thickeners: such as gelatin and pectin, used to improve the texture and taste of food, making it thicker or having a specific taste.
Regulation of food additives:
Food additives are strictly regulated in all countries. Taking China as an example, the use of food additives must comply with the provisions of the Food Safety Law and relevant food safety standards to ensure the safety of food additives. At the same time, food additive manufacturers also need to obtain corresponding production licenses and accept supervision and inspection by regulatory authorities.
Day Natural focuses on the production of natural food additives. We are committed to providing healthy food additives extracted from natural raw materials and do not contain or minimize artificial synthetic ingredients.
