What are food additives? Is it really harmful to the body, even toxic? What are the misunderstandings about people's cognition of food additives?
01
What are food additives?
Why can't food be separated from it?
Sun Baoguo, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chairman of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology, introduced: "The original intention of using food additives is first of all to improve food quality, in addition to improving the color and aroma of food, and some are for the need for anti-corrosion, the need for preservation, and the need for processing technology. Let me give you an example, we Chinese eat brine point tofu for more than 2300 years, and if there is no brine, there is only soy milk, no tofu. Brine is one of the food additives, called food coagulant. ”
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Whether it is bread, cake, dry red wine from the West, or steamed buns, buns, fritters in Chinese food, food additives are inseparable from the production process. It is precisely because of food additives that the production, storage, transportation and circulation of food can be carried out normally, and all kinds of food in supermarkets can be so varied.
At present, there are more than 2,300 kinds of food additives allowed in mainland China, which can be divided into two categories: natural and artificial chemical synthesis according to the source, and 23 categories including antioxidants, leavening agents, sweeteners, etc. according to their functions.
Experts introduced that food additives that meet the standards are harmless to the human body and have certain nutritional value.
02
About food additives
Do you have any of these misconceptions?
Myth 1: Food without food additives is safer to eat
Food additives should not be added when they should not be added, which is illegal, but it is not okay not to add when they should be added, and preservatives are one of the food additives that benefit consumers the most.
Since microorganisms are always ready to compete with us for nutrients in food, oxygen in the air can also oxidize and deteriorate the nutrients in food, so processed foods without food additives are very rare and their safety is also worrying.
Myth 2: Foods that do not contain certain additives are better than others
This kind of publicity often misleads consumers and is suspected of unfair competition. In fact, it is difficult for modern processed foods to completely leave food additives, even if a product claims to contain "preservatives", but may not contain "antioxidants" and other food additives, claiming that it does not contain "food coloring", does not mean that it does not contain flavors, emulsifiers, thickeners and other food additives.
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03
Continental for food additives
Range of use and dosage
Strict and detailed standards have been developed
In order to ensure food safety, the mainland has formulated strict and detailed standards for the scope and dosage of various food additives. At the same time, it is clearly stipulated that food additives should meet the following basic requirements when used:
It should not cause any health hazard to the human body
Food spoilage should not be masked
Food additives should not be used for the purpose of adulteration, adulteration or forgery of the food itself or during processing
The nutritional value of the food itself should not be reduced
Under the premise of achieving the intended purpose, reduce the amount of food used as much as possible
Processing aids for the food industry should generally be removed before being made into the final product, except for the amount of residues in the specified food
04
Often misunderstood
For whom do food additives "carry the pot"?
Since the use of food additives has strict standards, safety and security, and it is also the need for the development of the food industry and catering industry, why do some people still have doubts about it? Experts believe that one of the important reasons is that food additives "carry the black pot" for illegal additives.
Sun Baoguo introduced: "For example, the melamine, Sudan red, hanging white block that everyone knows, these are not food additives, in the mainland food additive use of national standards, there has never been a standard for this type of substance, but many consumers mistakenly think that these are food additives." ”
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So far, none of the food safety incidents that have caused harm to human health in the mainland have been caused by the legal use of food additives. Illegal acts such as using food additives beyond the scope and limit and adding non-edible substances are the causes of food safety problems.
05
Eat a variety of foods
Do food additives accumulate in excess of the standard?
Although the additives contained in a single food do not exceed the standard, but to eat a lot of food every day, will it exceed the standard?
Expert introduction: When carrying out food safety risk assessment, relevant departments will consider people of different ages, different regions and different genders, eat a variety of foods a day, and the food contains the same food additive and is consumed for a long time, and make provisions on the use of food additives accordingly.
In order to ensure the "safety on the tip of the tongue" of consumers, Mainland China will also implement dynamic tracking and evaluation of food additives in use based on information on safety and process necessity, and constantly adjust the scope and dosage of use.
Sun Baoguo introduced: "There are about 2,300 kinds of food additives allowed in our country, and there are more than 15,000 kinds of approved use in countries around the world. Our national food additives not only limit the variety, but also limit the scope of use, maximum amount of use and maximum residue, these three aspects ensure the safety of the use of food additives in our country. ”