Here are the top 10 topics visitors are searching. Heart Disease 8. A food additive is any substance that a food manufacturer intentionally adds to foods to achieve specific desired effects or characteristics during production or processing. In general, food additives contribute to the shelf life of foods and have made many convenience foods possible. They also maintain the firmness, softness or texture of many foods.
Some people prefer to avoid food additives, when possible.
If this is your preference, you should read labels carefully and select more foods in the natural foods section of your store. The Romans used honey to preserve fruit Salting food was a common practice in the Middle Ages Marco Polo searched for herbs and spices, additives for flavoring foods Food additives are used for a number of different reasons including food preservation, spoilage prevention, flavor enhancement and to improve nutritional value. There are approximately 3,000 food additives that are classified into six major categories. The primary reason for this practice is to replace nutrients lost during processing and to prevent deficiency diseases. The safe-use period of many foods is greatly extended through the addition of preservatives, which retard spoilage, preserve flavor and color and keep oils from turning rancid.