Amplifying Foods Life

What keeps bread mould-free and salad dressings from separating, helps cake batters rise reliably during baking and keeps cured meats safe to eat?

What improves the nutritional value of biscuits and pasta, gives margarine its pleasing yellow colour and prevents salt from becoming lumpy in its shaker? And what magic ingredient allows many foods to be available year-round, in great quantity and the best quality?

The answer is "Food Additives". Often maligned or misunderstood, the role of food additives in today's bountiful and nutritious food supply is vital. Food additives allow consumers to enjoy a variety of safe, wholesome and tasty food all-year-round, and make it possible to keep in our pantry or fridge a vast array of convenience foods without having to shop for them every day.

Although salt, baking powder and vanilla are the most commonly used additives today; many people tend to think of food additives as complex chemical compounds. Government authorities carefully regulate all food additives and various international organizations ensure that food additives are safe for their intended use and food containing them is accurately labelled.

What is a Food Additive?

If a substance is added to a food for a specific technological purpose, and is not a food itself, it is referred to as a food additive. For example, the intense sweetener aspartame, which may be used in beverages, yogurt, chewing gum and other foods, is considered a food additive. Additives are identified as such in the ingredient list on the label of packaged foods.

A colour additive is any dye, pigment or substance that can impart colour when added or applied to a food. Colour additives may be used in foods, drugs and cosmetics. Colour additives are used in foods for many reasons, including offsetting colour loss due to storage or processing of foods and to accommodate variations in natural food colour.