In the preparation of most food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products, many chemical additives are used that if you look at the list of ingredients on the label of these products, you will see the name of some of these compounds, or in some cases, the term “authorized food additives”.
In the past, most foods were produced and consumed directly from natural sources and often came at no consumer costs, but today, chemical additives and antimicrobial preservatives are used for food production in food industry factories.
Although consumers want to reduce food additives, experts believe that given the potential for the survival and proliferation of pathogenic germs in food, these antimicrobial preservatives along with proper enforcement actions play a vital role in ensuring food safety. 216
Prolonging shelf life and reducing waste of food as well as providing the safety of food are among the properties of antimicrobial preservatives.
Food Additives Classification
Antioxidants: They are substances that are added to foods to prevent the oxidation of fats and oils.
Emulsifiers: Emulsifiers prevent the separation of the oil and water into two phases.
Flavor enhancers: They are substances that do not have a specific flavor or have a slight flavor but enhance the natural taste of foods. These substances are often used when there is a very little amount of a natural substance in the product.
Thickener Factors: They are natural or modified carbohydrates that absorb some of the water present in the food and make it more concentrated.
Are additives always useful?
Although, as mentioned, the application of additives reduces the activity of microorganisms and thus increases the shelf life of products, but the application of many of them also has disadvantages.
In general, additives are useful ingredients that, like many other ingredients, have many disadvantages along with their benefits, and undoubtedly everyone knows that the healthiest and safest way is to use fresh foods and vegetables, which is not always possible in today’s world.