Cochineal is added to meat products, spices, and baked goods. The soft drink industry is one of the primary color user's in today's market. Thickeners are added to icing, cheese spreads, and salad dressings to provide a desired consistency. Emulsifiers are added to keep mixtures from separating out, such as oil and vinegar salad dressing. Emulsifiers play an important role in the baking industry by helping increase volume, uniformity, fineness of grain and shelf life.
Potassium iodide is added to table salt to virtually eliminate the goiter.
Also dairy products are fortified with vitamin D to reduce the chance of rickets a rare disease in the United States. Fruit acids are commonly added to provide the desired texture and tartness to processed cheese, grape and lime beverages, jams, jellies, and candies. Ammonium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, and calcium carbonate are alkalies which are added to foods to prevent the food from being too acidic. Calcium chloride and calcium salts are added to canned peas, tomatoes, potatoes, and apples as a firming agent. Anticaking agents are important in the salt industry.