Is there a meaningful difference between natural and synthetic additives?
Is allergy a problem with additives?
How is the ADI for an additive determined?
Is there intolerance to food additives?
Interactive site map.
Why are food additives used?
To maintain a food’s nutritional quality, for example by preventing vitamins, essential amino acids and unsaturated fats from degrading.
To improve a food’s keeping properties, for example by preventing mould from growing and slowing down the chemical reactions that make foods go off.
To provide products for consumers who have specific nutritional requirements, such as diabetics who need products containing sweeteners rather than sugar.
To maintain and improve a product’s sensory properties, such as texture, consistency, taste, aroma and colour.
To aid the manufacturing process of a food product, or its packaging, transport or storage.
