Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavour or improve its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by
pickling (with
vinegar),
salting, as with
bacon, or using
sulfur dioxide as in some
wines. With the advent of processed foods in the second half of the
20th century, many more additives have been introduced, of both natural and artificial origin.
To regulate these additives, and inform consumers, each additive is assigned a unique number. Initially these were the "
E numbers" used in
Europe for all approved additives. This numbering scheme has now been adopted and extended by the
Codex Alimentarius Committee to internationally identify all additives, regardless of whether they are approved for use.
E numbers are all prefixed by "
E", but countries outside Europe use only the number, whether the additive is approved in Europe or not.For example,
acetic acid is written as E260 on products sold in Europe, but is simply known as additive 260 in some countries. Additive 103,
alkanet, is not approved for use in Europe so does not have an E number, although it is approved for use in
Australia and
New Zealand.
See
list of food additives for a complete list of all of the numbers.
Food additives can be divided into several groups, although there is some overlap between them.
;Acids : Food
acids are added to make flavours "sharper", and also act as preservatives and antioxidants. Common food acids include
vinegar,
citric acid,
tartaric acid,
malic acid,
fumaric acid,
lactic acid.
Acidity regulators : Acidity regulators are used to change or otherwise control the acidity and alkalinity of foods.;Anticaking agents :
Anticaking agents keep powders such as milk powder flowing freely.
Antifoaming agents : Antifoaming agents reduce or prevent foaming in foods.;Antioxidants :
Antioxidants such as
vitamin C act as preservatives by inhibiting the effects of
oxygen on food, and are generally beneficial to health.
Bulking agents : Bulking agents such as starch are additives that increase the bulk of a food without affecting its nutritional value.;Food coloring :
Colorings are added to food to replace colours lost during preparation, or to make food look more attractive.
Colour retention agents : In contrast to colourings, colour retention agents are used to preserve a food's existing colour.;Emulsifiers :
Emulsifiers allow water and oils to remain mixed together in an
emulsion, as in
mayonnaise,
ice cream, and homogenised
milk.
Flavours : Flavours are additives that give food a particular taste or smell, and may be derived from natural ingredients or created artificially.;Flavour enhancers :
Flavour enhancers enhance a food's existing flavours.
Flour treatment agents : Flour treatment agents are added to flour to improve its colour or its use in baking.;Humectants :
Humectants prevent foods from drying out.
Preservatives : Preservatives prevent or inhibit spoilage of food due to fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms.;Propellants :
Propellants are pressurised gases used to expel food from its container.
Stabilizers : Stabilizers, thickeners and gelling agents, like agar or pectin (used in jam for example) give foods a firmer texture. While they are not true emulsifiers, they help to stabilize emulsions. ;Sweeteners :
Sweeteners are added to foods for flavoring. Sweeteners other than
sugar are added to keep the
food energy (
calories) low, or because they have beneficial effects for
diabetes mellitus and
tooth decay.
Thickeners : Thickeners are substances which, when added to the mixture, increase its viscosity without substantially modifying its other properties*
Database of food additives and regulations governing their use*
EU legislation on food additives*
CSPI's guide to food additives
