what are food additives

Food additives are substances added to food to maintain or improve its safety, freshness, taste, texture, or appearance. They can be derived from plants, animals, minerals, or they can be synthetic. There are several thousand food additives used, all of which are designed to do a specific job in making food safer or more appealing. These additives serve five main functions: giving the food a smooth and consistent texture, improving or preserving the nutrient value, enhancing flavor, providing color, and extending shelf life. Some common food additives include monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial food coloring, sodium nitrite, and guar gum. While some food additives have been associated with adverse health effects, others are safe and can be consumed with minimal risk. Its important to note that food additives have been used for thousands of years, and many of the additives used by the food industry also occur naturally within foods that people eat every day.