--- layout: default_v3 language: default permalink: food-processing/food-additive.html i18n_link: 3526 updated: 2021-04-19 #--- article key-values ---# collection: default_topiccluster t_keyword: Food Additive tags: food additive, food safety, restaurant management, business management, zip haccp type: supporting page_id: 3526 hreflang_id: 3526 parent_id: 3504 date_published: 2021-04-19 date_modified: 2021-04-19 #--- javascript schema ---# javascript_schema: - script: jquery_3_2_0_min - script: bootstrap_min - script: article_infinite_scroll - script: article_mix_infinitescroll - script: article_mix - script: article_mix_faq - script: article_mix_toc #--- section schema ---# section_schema: - section: nav-main_menu - section: article_body_v2 - section: footer - section: schedule_demo_cta #--- page key-values ---# meta_tags: t_meta_title: What is a Food Additive and Why Are they Harmful? t_meta_description: Food additives are used to flavor, thicken, color and preserve foods. Some food additives have helped reduce nutritional deficiencies in consumers. Other additives used can cause side effects. t_meta_abstract: Food additives are used to flavor, thicken, color and preserve foods. Some food additives have helped reduce nutritional deficiencies in consumers. Other additives used can cause side effects. i_meta_image: article_body: json-ld_article: v_date_published: 2021-04-19 v_date_modified: 2021-04-19 author: p_author_id: 153 t_author: Cynthia Vespia p_author_url: cynthia-vespia.html i_author: 153.png t_author_description: Cynthia Vespia is a content writer/copywriter helping brands connect with their customers through top quality content. She's also a published fantasy author giving villains a purpose and heroes a hard time. p_author_facebook: //www.facebook.com/HubWorksApp p_author_twitter: https://twitter.com/HubworksApp p_author_linkedin: p_author_instagram: feature_snippet: p_type: text t_title: t_description: content: heading: t_title: What is a Food Additive and Why Are they Harmful? t_description: Food additives are used to flavor, thicken, color and preserve foods. Some food additives have helped reduce nutritional deficiencies in consumers. Other additives used can cause side effects. image: i_image: what-is-a-food-additive-and-why-are-they-harmful-1618592158-8425.png t_image_description: safety food food food food additives food additives food additives v_image_attribution: //pixabay.com/photos/pills-tablets-drug-medical-3114364/ v_image_license: Creative Commons Zero v_video: paragraphs: - t_headline: What is a Food Additive? t_text: Any substance added to food which changes the characteristics of the food products is considered a food additive. The additives can be used in common food during processing, production, packaging or storage of the food.

There are two distinctions when it comes to food additives- direct and indirect.


How Are Additives Approved for Use in Foods?

Food manufacturers must follow regulations called Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure food safety standards are met. The GMP puts limits on the amount of ingredients used in food. The guidelines are constantly being amended for recognized safe practices.

For example, food coloring is being more strictly monitored than ever before. The FDA is responsible for the approval of any food additive substances used. If a manufacturer wants to introduce a new color additive they must first petition the FDA approval.

The FDA will then decide whether the substance is safe for use by evaluating-
  1. the substances properties and composition.
  2. the daily intake amount usually consumed.
  3. immediate and long-term health effects.
  4. various other safety factors.
After the evaluation, a built-in safety margin is used to decide the amount of the food additive that can safely be be consumed without any adverse effect. The levels that gain approval are kept very low. The FDA will also monitor the intended use which looks at which types of foods the additives can be used in. An identifier on the label of the product is also sent out.

Procedures changed in 1999 that saw the FDA and the USDA working in unison to review which proposed ingredients used in processed meat and poultry would be accepted. Federal officials collected data on how much and how often Americans consumed of the new additives. The results bolstered new research on the safety and continued use of the food additive.

If the study found new evidence suggesting that an additive that's already being used is unsafe, or needs to be looked at further, federal authorities may prohibit its use until further studies are done to determine its safety. p_headline_type: h2 image: i_image: t_description: v_attribution: v_license: video: v_video: Hy3-QHhzvPE v_video_language: default t_name: What are food additives? t_description: Food additives don't usually have nutritional value but are added to food for safety or to serve a specific function such as prolong shelf-life, delay quality deterioration or improve texture.). Importantly, every additive we find on our plate has been thoroughly tested and approved by the European Food Safety Agency, EFSA. v_url: //youtu.be/Hy3-QHhzvPE i_thumbnail: //i.ytimg.com/vi/Hy3-QHhzvPE/default.jpg i_thumbnail_1x1: //i.ytimg.com/vi/Hy3-QHhzvPE/default.jpg i_thumbnail_4x3: //i.ytimg.com/vi/Hy3-QHhzvPE/mqdefault.jpg i_thumbnail_16x9: //i.ytimg.com/vi/Hy3-QHhzvPE/sddefault.jpg v_upload_date: 12-7-2017 v_length_minutes: 2 v_length_seconds: 53 v_view_count: 55234 callout_text: - t_title: FDA regulations t_text: To ensure consumers feel safe about what foods they're eating, the FDA has regulations in place concerning adding substances.

- t_headline: How are Food Additives Harmful? t_text: Sometimes an artificial food source is often used to preserve food safety. Others provide nutritional benefits as well. However, there are artificial additives that can have health risks. Additives like food dyes, thickeners or flavorings are added to foods to appeal to the consumer but they aren't always healthful.

Known or Potential Health Risks
The United States Food and Drug Administration FDA has approved hundreds of additives. However, one study or many hasn't been adequate enough to determine whether many of them are safe for human consumption.

Some animal studies linked the following to artificial additives-

Mislabeling Ingredients
The FDA requires certain substances such as a sodium nitrite and monosodium glutamate to have specific listings on food labels due to their health risks and possible side effects. However, some food manufacturers will list other additives in a generic fashion under "spices" or "added flavoring" so as not to reveal the special ingredient to competitors.

Read Food Labels
With the massive list of naturally occurring and synthetic substances added to food products it's important to read labels. and understand the health risks or side effects. Even simple soft drinks are loaded with artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup which can cause an array of heath effects.

Danger of Pro-longed Exposure
Because the FDA allows for small amounts of substances with known risks to be added to foods, it's possible for long-term exposure could cause harm. The FDA has concluded that most substances added to the food supply are too minuscule to cause harm but there haven't been enough studies done to determine the dose-related effects of of these additives.

Risk of Additive Effects
Solitary exposure to additives is relatively low risk, but because food processing involves the additives on a grand scale the human consumer is often exposed to many chemicals. An additive interacting with other chemicals can become a health hazard.

Many processed foods and other products can have multiple substances within them. It is impossible to tell which specific food substance is the root cause of a health problem. This is why individuals with allergies are instructed to go on a bland diet and re-introduce foods to see which one might be the cause of the allergy. p_headline_type: h2 image: i_image: how-are-food-additives-harmful-1618593994-5144.png t_description: //pixabay.com/photos/cake-bake-food-sweet-calories-3611584/ v_attribution: //pixabay.com/photos/cake-bake-food-sweet-calories-3611584/ v_license: Creative Commons Zero callout_text: - t_headline: A Food Additive Wrap-up t_text: p_headline_type: h2 image: i_image: a-food-additive-wrap-up-1618598408-9214.png t_description: //pixabay.com/photos/nutrient-additives-medicine-pills-505124/ v_attribution: //pixabay.com/photos/nutrient-additives-medicine-pills-505124/ v_license: Creative Commons Zero callout_text: event_body: json-ld_event: t_name: Employee Scheduling for Restaurant Managers t_description: Attendees will learn how create excellent schedules. The class teaches managers how to estimate the number of employees they need to staff their locations; how to accurately forecast their customer demand; how to quickly and accuaratly write and communicate schedules to employees; and how to evaluate the accuracy and optimization of their schedules to make adjustments. v_start_date: 2022-08-08 i_image: p_location_name: Altametrics Online Webinar Course p_address: webinar.hubworks.com?site=altametrics v_price: 10.00 t_offer_description: Priority Registration v_registration_url: webinar.hubworks.com?site=altametrics ---