Additives: Understanding what we are talking about

Food additives are defined, according to the Spanish Food Code, as "those substances which can be intentionally added to food and drink in order to modify their character, preparation or conservation techniques or to improve their adaptation to the use for which they are intended"

 

To this effect, positive lists have been drawn up,detailing the additives that may be used.These lists also indicate to which foods and in what quantities each additive may be added.They are regularly updated; therefore only the additives on the up-to-date list may be used.

Food additives are not intended to modify the nutritional value of food, therefore, for example, when ascorbic acid is added to fruit juice as an antioxidant to improve its conservation, it is considered to be an additive and not a nutrient. On the other hand, if these substances are eliminated during the transformation process or if they are merely residual, they are considered manufacturing aids.

Food additives differ from other components as they are added voluntarily, they are not intended to enrich the food nutritionally and they are only used to improve some aspect of the food, for example, conservation time, flavour, colour, texture, etc.

To facilitate their use and labelling,and to make them internationally recognisable,additives are referred to by their full name or using a code that consists of a letter (additives authorised by the European Union are given the letter “E”) followed by three numbers.The first number refers to the type of additive,classified according to four groups:Colourings,Preservatives,Antioxidants and Stabilisers.The other numbers correspond to the family and type of the additive.Consequently,these food additives are regulated by law:they are subject to legislation at a community level (Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives) and at a national level (Technical-Health Regulation on Food Additives).