Food additives can delay staleness, prevent caking, make dried mixes easier to dissolve, stop rancidity developing in fatty foods, stop tinned fruits and vegetables from losing color and firmness.
Food preservatives are the additives that used to inhibit the growth of bacteria, molds and yeast in the food. Some preservatives are used to inhibit color and texture changes when food is exposed to air.
Some of the additives are manufactured from the natural sources such as corn, beet and soybean, while some are artificial, man-made additives.
More than 90% of food additives are synthetic. Man-made sweeteners are very common food additives used in processed foods and low calorie beverages.
Aspartame is the most common synthetic sweetener. It is used in diet foods, chewing gum, breakfast cereal and yoghurt.
Man-made food additives are extensively tested for toxicity before they are allowed for use in food.
Thus they are the safest components of the diet. In practice the only adverse reactions to food additives are intolerances.
Man-made food additives
