Food additives are the soul of the modern food industry. It can be said that without the food additives, there is no modern food industry. Proper use of food additives can effectively improve the flavor of food, improve the nutritional value of food, enhance the convenience of processing, or prevent food spoilage and prolong the shelf life of food. Below, let me tell you about the necessity of using food additives.

(1) Conducive to the preservation of food and prevent food from spoiling

Except for a few items such as salt, almost all foods come from animals and plants, and all kinds of fresh foods are often spoiled after plant harvesting or animal slaughter, if not processed or stored in time;

Preservatives: Prevent food deterioration caused by microorganisms and prolong food shelf life.

Antioxidants: Prevent or delay the oxidative deterioration of foods, improve stability and storage.

(2) Improving the sensory properties of food

The color, aroma, taste, form and texture of food are important indicators for measuring the sensory properties of food. Fading, discoloration, flavor and texture changes occur after food processing. Appropriate use of colorants, color protectants, bleaches, perfumes, emulsifiers and thickeners can significantly improve the sensory quality of foods and meet the different needs of consumers.

(3) Maintaining or improving the nutritional value of food

Food should be nutritious, but food processing inevitably results in certain nutrient losses. Appropriate addition of certain food nutrition enhancers in the range of natural nutrients during food processing can greatly improve the nutritional value of foods, which is of great significance for preventing malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies, promoting nutritional balance and improving people’s health.

(4) Increasing the variety and convenience of food

A variety of food additives with anti-corrosion, anti-oxidation, emulsification, thickening, coloring, flavoring, flavoring and other functional food additives.

(5) Conducive to food processing operations, adapt to the mechanization and automation of production

The use of defoamers, filter aids, stabilizing and coagulating agents in foods is beneficial to the processing of foods. For example, when gluconic acid-*-lactone is used as a tofu coagulant, mechanization and automation of tofu production can be achieved.

(6) Meeting other special needs

Food should meet the different needs of people, such as those who are not suitable for eating polysaccharides, can partially consume low-calorie sweetener (xylitol or asparagine phenylalanine methyl ester), iodine-enhanced salt, can prevent iodine deficiency thyroid .

However, some of the current reports on food additives are biased, which is not conducive to the popularization of scientific common sense and the acceptance of the public. In fact, as long as the legal and correct consumption of food additives, no more than the maximum allowable use, follow the principle of use of food additives, will not cause adverse effects on the human body.