Food additive
Food Additive
A Food Additive (pronunciation: /fuːd ædɪtɪv/) is a substance added to food to enhance its flavor or appearance or to preserve its shelf life.
Etymology
The term "Food Additive" is derived from the English words "food" and "additive". "Food" comes from the Old English "fōda", meaning "nourishment", and "additive" comes from the Latin "additivus", meaning "that which is added".
Types of Food Additives
Food additives can be classified into several categories, including:
- Preservatives: These are substances that are added to food to prevent or slow down spoilage due to microorganisms. Examples include benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and sulphites.
- Sweeteners: These are substances that are added to food to give it a sweet taste. Examples include sugar, aspartame, and sucralose.
- Color Additives: These are substances that are added to food to give it a specific color. Examples include caramel color, annatto, and beta-carotene.
- Flavor Enhancers: These are substances that are added to food to enhance its flavor. Examples include monosodium glutamate (MSG), disodium guanylate, and disodium inosinate.
- Emulsifiers: These are substances that are added to food to keep its ingredients from separating. Examples include lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, and polysorbates.
Related Terms
- E number: A system of identifying food additives used within the European Union and Switzerland.
- GRAS: An acronym for "Generally Recognized As Safe", a designation used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food additives that are considered safe for consumption.
- Food Safety: The practice of handling, preparing, and storing food in ways that prevent foodborne illness.
- Nutrition: The science that interprets the nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Food additive
- Wikipedia's article - Food additive
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