Food additive

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A food additive is a substance (either natural or artificial) which is not a foodstuff in itself by which is added to food for some technological reason: exact legal definitions differ between countries.[note 1] Food additives may serve a wide variety of purposes, of which colourings and preservatives are among the best known.

Numbering

In many countries, but not normally in the United States, food additives are identified by numbers as well as (or even instead of) by name. The International Numbering System (INS) is maintained by the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).[1] An equivalent system is in use in the European Union, where the INS numbers are prefixed by the letter E: this has led to the colloquial term "E numbers" to refer to food additives in general.

The INS groups additives roughly according to their classification, although this is not always possible: some additives have more than one use and, in any case, almost all of the three-figure numbers in the INS has been used up, so new additives may have to be numbered outside their normal range.[1]

Classification

Food additives are classified according to their functional class, which may be divided into subclasses. The most common scheme is that used by the FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission,[1] which has been adopted by many individual countries.

Functional class INS range Function Subclasses
Colour 100–199 adds or restores colour in a food colour, decorative pigment, surface colourant
Preservative 200–299 prolongs the shelflife of a food by protecting against deterioration caused by microorganisms preservative, antimicrobial preservative, antimycotic agent, bacteriophage control agent, fungistatic agent, antimould and antirope agent, antimicrobial synergist
Bleaching agent 223 used to decolourize food (not including pigments)  
Carbonating agent 290 used to provide carbonation in a food  
Antioxidant 300–319 prolongs the shelflife of foods by protecting against deterioration caused by oxidation antioxidant, antioxidant synergist, antibrowning agent
Acidity regulator 320–399
500–549 		controls the acidity or alkalinity of a food acidity regulator, acid, acidifier, alkali, base, buffer, buffering agent, pH adjusting agent
Thickener 400–429 increases the viscosity of a food thickener, bodying agent, binder, texturizing agent
Stabilizer 430–499 additive that makes it possible to maintain a uniform dispersion of two or more components stabilizer, foam stabilizer, colloidal stabilizer, emulsion stabilizer
Emulsifier 430–499 forms or maintains a uniform emulsion of two or more phases in a food emulsifier, plasticizer, dispersing agent, surface active agent, crystallization inhibitor, density adjustment (flavouring oils in beverages), suspension agent, clouding agent
Emulsifying salt 430–499 additive, which, in the manufacture of processed food, rearranges proteins in order to prevent fat separation emulsifying salt, melding salt
Anticaking agent 500–599 reduces the tendency of components of food to adhere to one another anticaking agent, anti-stick agent, drying agent, dusting agent
Firming agent 510–580 makes or keeps tissues of fruit or vegetables firm and crisp, or interacts with gelling agents to produce or strengthen a gel  
Flavour enhancer 600–699 enhances the existing taste and/or odour of a food flavour enhancer, flavour synergist
Glazing agent 900–915 additive that, when applied to the external surface of a food, imparts a shiny appearance or provides a protective coating glazing agent, sealing agent, coating agent, surface-finishing agent, polishing agent, film-forming agent
Flour treatment agent 916–930 additive that is added to flour or dough to improve its baking quality or colour flour treatment agent, flour bleaching agent, flour improver, dough conditioner, dough strengthening agent
Propellant 940–949 additive gas that expels a food from a container  
Packaging gas 940–949 additive gas that is introduced into a container before, during or after filling with food with the intention to protect the food, for example, from oxidation or spoilage  
Sweetener 950–968 imparts a sweet taste to a food (other than a mono- or disaccharide sugar) sweetener, intense sweetener, bulk sweetener
Foaming agent   additive that makes it possible to form or maintain a uniform dispersion of a gaseous phase in a liquid or solid food foaming agent, whipping agent, aerating agent
Antifoaming agent   prevents or reduces foaming antifoaming agent, defoaming agent
Bulking agent   contributes to the bulk of a food without contributing significantly to its available energy value bulking agent, filler
Carrier   used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function (and without exerting any technological effect itself) in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient carrier, carrier solvent, nutrient carrier, diluent for other food additives, encapsulating agent
Colour retention agent   stabilizes, retains or intensifies the colour of a food colour retention agent, colour fixative, colour stabilizer, colour adjunct
Gelling agent   gives a food texture through formation of a gel  
Humectant   prevents food from drying out by counteracting the effect of a dry atmosphere humectant, moisture-retention agent, wetting agent
Raising agent   liberates gas and thereby increases the volume of a dough or batter  
Sequestrant   controls the availability of a cation  

Regulation

Food additives are regulated by law in most indutrialised and many developing countries. The United Nations specialised agencies have no direct role in regulation, although they do publish recommendations and other scientific studies.

Depending on the country, food additive regulations usually specify

  • which additives are permitted, and/or under what circumstances food additives are permitted;
  • which foodstuff may contain which additives: it is common, indeed usual, for different rules to apply to different foodstuffs;
  • the maximum quantity of an additive which may be used in a given foodstuff: again, this may vary between foodstuffs;
  • any labelling requirements to inform consumers of the presence of food additives.

European Union

The European Union is responsible for the authorisation of food additives within the European Economic Area (the 27 EU members states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). The relevant legislation has been consolidated into the Food Additives Regulation (1333/2008),[2] which came into force on 20 January 2010.

Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand have a joint set of food safety regulations, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which regulates food additive in its Standard 1.3.1.

Canada

Canadian food additive regulations are contained in Division B.16 of the Food and Drug Regulations,[3] made under the Food and Drugs Act (R.S., 1985, c. F-27).

United States

The power to regulate food additives in the United States comes from the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) of 1938, codified in Chapter 9 (§§ 301–399) of Title 21, United States Code. The Act is administered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the detailed regulations are contained in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ↑ Specific definitions can be found: for the European Union, Art. 3.2(a), Food Additives Regulation (1333/2008); for Australia and New Zealand, preamble to Standard 1.3.1, Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code; for Canada, s. B.01.001, Food and Drug Regulations (C.R.C., c. 870); for the United States, § 201(s), Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act [21 U.S.C. 321(s)].

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Codex Class Names and the International Numbering System for Food Additives, 7th ed.; Codex Alimentarius Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization, 2009. CAC/GL 36-1989, <http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/standards/7/CXG_036e.pdf>.
  2. ↑ Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives, OJEU L354, 31.12.2008, pp 16–33.
  3. ↑ Food and Drug Regulations (C.R.C., c. 870).

External links

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