ABSTRACT
Many substances are incorporated into foods for functional purposes, and in many cases these ingredients can also be found occurring naturally in some food. However, when they are used in processed foods, these chemicals have become known as “food additives.” From a regulatory standpoint, each of the food additives must provide some useful and acceptable function or attribute to justify its usage. Generally, improved keeping quality, enhanced nutritional value, functional property provision and improvement, processing facilitation, and enhanced consumer acceptance are considered acceptable functions for food additives. The use of food additives to conceal damage or spoilage to foods or to deceive consumers is expressly forbidden by regulations governing the use of these substances in foods. Additionally, food additive usages are discouraged where similar effects can be obtained by economical, good manufacturing practices.
