Food Additives

Abstract

Since ancient times, food additives have been used to increase the organoleptic properties and shelf life of food products. Till date, more than 2500 additives fall under intentional additive categories. Food additives are intentionally added to food items to serve some specific purposes (packaging, transport, storage, etc.). Generally, different laws have implemented on food additives by some regulatory bodies [Codex Alimentarius Commission, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), etc.] regarding their limit for use in food products. For utilization of additives in food processing, it should be non-toxic, food grade, and non-reactive. This chapter presents a comprehensive summarization of food additives in terms of their classification, intake assessment, testing methods, advantages, maximum permissible limit, safety and risk associated with it.