• Classification of food additives • Advantages and disadvantages of food additives • Legal controls on the use of food additives
Additives are substances intentionally added to food in relatively small amounts to improve its colour, flavour, texture, nutritional value and shelf life. These substances can be natural or artificially made.
? Explain the term food additive. (2) OL Classification of food additives
Colourings (E100–E199)
Sweeteners (E900–E999)
Flavourings
Antioxidants (E300–E399)
Flavour enhancers (E600–E699)
Colourings (E100–E199)
Functions • Improve the colour of foods, e.g. soft drinks • Replace colour lost during processing, e.g. during canning peas change from bright green to olive green • Add colour to colourless foods, e.g. ice pops
Colourings (natural) Example
Chlorophyll (green)
Carotene (yellow/orange)
Caramel (brown)
Cochineal (red/crimson)
Did you know 70,000 cochineal beetles must be crushed to produce 1 lb (454 g) of red dye. 202 Complete Home Economics Heated carbohydrates Origin Green pigment present in plants Carrots
Dried cochineal beetles and cochineal powder
Nutritive additives
Preservatives (E200–E299)
Physical conditioning agents (E400–E499)
Uses
• Lime-flavoured jelly • Green-coloured fruit gum sweets
• Orange-coloured soft drinks • Orange-coloured fruit gum sweets
