Food Additive

A food additive is a substance added to food to alter or enhance it in some way. Additives can refer to common things added by home cooks, such as salt and pepper, sweeteners and spices, or cornstarch or flour. The term can also apply to things added during the commercial production of food and beverages. These additives can include seasonings, sweeteners, and thickeners, but often include substances intended to prolong the freshness or appearance of food. While all of these additives are subject to government oversight in the United States and other countries, there are some concerns that regulations could be improved. Some people also argue that more could be done to inform consumers of all the additives that are used in their foods, even if they are not considered ingredients.

Background

Additives have been part of food preparation for centuries. People have long used natural ingredients to alter the taste, texture, and color of food. For example, ancient Romans used saffron and other spices to make the color of some foods more appealing, while the Egyptians added natural ingredients to wine to enhance its color. Salting food for taste and preservation is another ancient technique, and many cultural cuisines are differentiated by the spices and seasonings used for each. However, the use of additives increased exponentially when more foods started being prepared outside the home.

The commercialization of food production led to problems that home cooks never faced. Traditionally, bread went from the oven right to the table a few feet away. It did not need to withstand travel or last long enough to be sold, as commercial baked goods do today. Soon, additives were needed to help preserve food during longer journeys. These additives were developed or discovered over the course of several centuries. In the twenty-first century, between three and six thousand additives are used in food.

Types and Uses

Food additives are divided into two types: direct and indirect additives. Direct additives are added to food for a specific reason, such as preservation or enhancement of the food's appearance. Indirect additives are trace amounts of certain substances that unintentionally become part of the food through the commercial production process, for example, adhesives or coatings used in packaging products.

There are several reasons why direct food additives are added to foods. Colorings are used to enhance the physical appearance of food. Some acids and leavening agents help enhance flavor and create the chemical reaction that allows baked goods to rise. Preservatives protect the food from microorganisms that lead to the growth of dangerous bacteria and prolong the appearance of the food. For example, the use of some acids can prevent apple slices from turning brown. Emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners, and anti-caking agents all help maintain the texture and mouthfeel of foods. In addition, additives can improve or enhance the nutrients found in food. The iodine added to salt and the vitamins and minerals added to bread, cereal, and milk all fall into this category.

Within these broad categories fall a number of other additives that are used for specific purposes. For example, humectants, or substances that attract and retain moisture, can be used to prevent baked goods and icings from drying out, while glazing agents can be used on the outside skin of fresh fruit to give it a shiny, more appealing appearance. Antioxidants are also used to help protect foods that can deteriorate when exposed to oxygen, such as most oils and fats. Some additives can also perform multiple functions. For example, salt is both a flavor enhancer and a preservative, and sweeteners such as sugar provide both flavor and bulk to finished products.

Concerns

While many additives are necessary and/or desirable, there has been concern for decades about the safety of some additives used in commercial food preparation. In the 1970s, concerns were raised about the use of certain food colorings. Parents and physicians claimed that some colorings caused children to become hyperactive. Although more than forty years of studies have failed to definitively confirm or disprove this claim, food oversight agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) eventually required these colorings to be identified on package labels. Some companies even voluntarily removed or replaced the colorings in question in response to consumer concerns.

There is also growing anxiety about unlabeled additives that are used in foods. For example, there are additives that can help extend the shelf life of cut fruit and vegetables. This means that someone can purchase a fruit cup or a salad that looks like it has just been prepared but may have really been sitting in the store for several days. Because such additives are not considered ingredients, they do not need to be listed on the label.

In addition, concerns have arisen because of more relaxed oversight on the part of some government agencies, including the FDA. During the 1950s, the FDA categorized a number of food additives as safe, and it defined food additives as anything that was added to a food or anything that became a part of a food. These broad definitions resulted in a list known as the GRAS list, which stands for "generally recognized as safe." Products on this list did not need specific approval from the FDA before being included in food, a move intended to prevent delays over additives already in common use. However, food manufacturers found ways to use the GRAS list as a loophole to avoid FDA scrutiny of some additives, which some experts say has resulted in products reaching consumers without adequate governmental review.

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