What are food additives?

A food additive is any substance that food manufacturers intentionally add to foods to achieve specific effects during production or processing, or to impart or retain desired characteristics.

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Why do we use food additives?

Food additives are used for many reasons:

• To make food more appealing in regards to taste, sight and aroma
  
• Increase stability and quality of food
  
• To preserve food products

Some food additives are naturally derived, others are from synthetic sources.

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Representation of food additives:

• Each food additive is represented by a number code
  
• Some additives are abbreviated, to simplify the name
  
• Example: Calcium disodium ethyenediaminetetraacetate
  Shortened to Calcium disodium EDTA
  Number Code: 385

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Rules and regulations:

• All food additives must be approved by FSANZ after rigorous assessment to check their safety. They must also be used in the lowest quantity possible to perform their specific use.
  
• Additives can only be added to food if they perform one or more technological functions.

Food additives are listed in the ingredients list by their functional name and also by a number or chemical name, e.g. flavour enhancer (621 or monosodium glutamate).

Some examples of commonly used food additives include emulsifiers, flavour enhancers, preservatives, food acids, colouring and raising agents.

To find out more about additives and get an alphabetical or numerical list of approved additives, visit the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website

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