Processed foods purchased from grocery stores include an ingredients list. Looking at the list, some are easily recognizable as food ingredients. Others are not easily recognizable and serve a different purpose from the food ingredients. These are the food additives. What are food additives? The food additives definition is any item that affects a food product, either directly or indirectly. Legally, the definition of a food additive is a bit different. Legally, a food additive is any item that is not on the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) item list. For the purposes of this lesson, the general definition of a food additive is used and not the legal definition.
Whole foods—foods that have not been majorly processed from their original form—are not on the GRAS list and are not considered food additives. Sliced carrots, for example, are not on the GRAS list and are not considered a food additive since the whole food has not been majorly altered. But beta carotene, on the other hand, is a food additive because the carrot has been majorly altered to extract the beta carotene. If the food additive is not currently on the GRAS list, then it needs to undergo premarket review before receiving FDA approval.
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To be added to the GRAS list, a food additive must be shown to be safe and not cause adverse effects from its use. Beta carotene is on the GRAS list and listed as safe to consume.
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Food additives serve many different purposes. Here is a list of various types of food additives. These are direct additives because these go directly into or onto the food and will be consumed together with the food.
The above is not an exhaustive list as there are many types of food additives. The above are common food additives found in foods at the grocery store.
Food additives serve various purposes and some foods have a combination of food additives to increase their shelf and storage life. Without these food additives, foods will spoil on their own, and sauces and mixtures will naturally separate if left alone. For example, mixtures with oil and water will naturally separate if left alone for just a few hours. Add in an emulsifier, however, and this mixture will stay together for a longer period of time.
While there are many types of food additives, the overarching goal of all of them is to keep food fresh and presentable for as long as possible. Food additives are the reason cereals stay fresh for months and cake mixes stay smooth for months, as well.
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Below is a list of food additives examples for each type and what food typically contains that food additive.
| Type | Food Additive | Common Food |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-caking agents | Magnesium stearate | Baby formula |
| Emulsifiers | Lecithin | Chocolate |
| Flavors | MSG | Noodle soup packets |
| Preservatives | Ascorbic acid | Fruit juice |
| Glazing agents | Beeswax | Cheese coating |
| Colors | Food coloring | Cakes |
| Artificial sweeteners | High fructose corn syrup | Soda |
| Stabilizers | Carrageenan | Coconut milk |
Food additives are added for three main reasons.
Food additives, such as ascorbic acid and other preservatives, are added to fresh foods to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mold. Wax is a food additive used as a covering over the skin of apples and other fruits with skins to keep them looking pretty and to prevent them from oxidizing and turning brown.
Food additives are added to increase the nutritional value of food. Some processed foods lose their nutritional value during the processing stage. Food additives are then added to make up for that loss. Vitamin D is routinely added to milk to make sure children who drink milk are not deficient in vitamin D. Some food additives, such as ascorbic acid, serve a dual purpose. Ascorbic acid acts as both a preservative and a nutritional enhancer, as it provides vitamin C.
Food additives are also added to enhance the look of foods. Waxes are put on apples to make them look shiny with no brown spots. Emulsifiers and stabilizers are used to keep mixes, like sauces, creams, and dressings, from separating. Ice cream requires emulsifiers so its ingredients don't separate with storage. Flavor enhancers are also used to increase the flavor of foods. MSG is often added to many foods to enhance its flavor.
Some food additives are naturally derived while others are synthetic, made by humans in a laboratory with chemicals. As of 2021, there are currently over 3,000 items that are approved to be added to food by the FDA.
The safety of food additives has always been a concern for consumers. The food additives the FDA has approved have been shown to be safe for most people. There may be some people who need to avoid certain food additives. For example, some people are gluten intolerant and therefore need to avoid gluten. The same is true for some of the food additives. Some people cannot take artificial sweeteners, so they need to avoid foods using those artificial sweeteners.
Every food additive goes through an approval process with the FDA before it is approved for use with food. Food additives that have already been approved are on the GRAS list. To get approved, the FDA considers the following.
After an additive is approved, it is listed on the GRAS list with the allowable amounts that can be used. The FDA also lists how safe they think that additive is. They base this on the best scientific evidence they have. Of course, new additives always carry with them a certain degree of risk or harm. New additives are watched to see if there are any adverse effects from the addition. Changes to the GRAS list are made if an additive is shown to be harmful.
The FDA keeps a food additive in their approved list as long as the majority of people do not have adverse effects from it. This does not mean that everybody can ingest the additives with no ill effects. Some may be allergic to an ingredient and therefore need to stay away from foods that include that additive. For example, Yellow No. 5 is approved in the United States while banned in parts of Europe. While some studies have linked this food color to hyperactivity in children as well as to aggravated asthma, others have not shown this connection. The FDA, therefore, feels there may be other unknown factors that are causing those issues and have not banned Yellow No. 5.
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In addition to direct additives, indirect food additives also need FDA approval. Indirect food additives are those additives used to prepare and package food items. These additives are not added as ingredients, but the ingredients do come into contact with these additives. As a result of this contact, some of the material may rub off on the food and be ingested by the consumer. Anything that comes into contact with the food ingredients must also pass the FDA approval process to ensure food safety. For example, the glue used to put labels on food containers must pass the FDA process.
In review, food additives are any item that affects a food product, either directly or indirectly. Legally, a food additive is any item that is not on the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) item list. Direct additives go directly into or onto the food and will be consumed together with the food. Indirect food additives are those additives used to prepare and package food items. These additives are not added as ingredients, but the ingredients do come into contact with these additives. There are many types of direct additives. Some common ones include preservatives, anti-caking agents, colors, and stabilizers. Some food additives are controversial such as Yellow No. 5. This food coloring has been shown to increase hyperactivity in kids as well as aggravate asthma in some studies while other studies show it is safe.
The three main reasons for using food additives are the following.
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Additives are used to enhance the look of food and to help preserve it. Other additives also increase the nutritional value of processed foods.
One example of a food additive is carrageenan. This additive acts as a stabilizer and emulsifier. Carrageenan is added to ice cream to keep it at its creamy consistency.
MSG, a flavor enhancer, is a common additive. Food coloring is also a common additive. MSG is added to many foods to enhance their flavor. Food coloring is added to many foods to enhance their appearance. Juices have food coloring to make them look pretty.
The FDA has approved over 3,000 food additives as generally safe. Some people may have allergies to certain additives and will therefore need to avoid those additives.
Examples of additives are preservatives and emulsifiers. Other types include flavor enhancers. MSG is a common flavor enhancer. Ascorbic acid is a preservative and also a nutritional enhancer.
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