The people take food as the sky, and food is the first thing. Food safety is about everyone's health. However, food safety misconceptions are often branded as alarmist and exaggerated headlines, disguised as pseudoscience, to deceive consumers. When it comes to food additives, many people now think that they are "science and technology and hard work", and many people also think that additives are unsafe. Is this true? Let's take a look:
What are food additives?
Food additives refer to synthetic substances or natural substances added to food in order to improve food quality, color, aroma and taste, as well as for the needs of preservative, preservation and processing technology. Among them, food flavors, basic agent substances in gum-based confectionery, and processing aids for the food industry are also included.
Are foods healthier without food additives?
The usable amount of various additives has undergone a very complex and rigorous scientific evaluation, and the reasonable and standardized use in accordance with the national standard limit requirements will not cause damage to the health of consumers. Taking preservatives as an example, the role of preservatives is to prevent food from spoiling, if not added in the right amount, some foods will spoil before leaving the factory, and may even produce toxins. For example, sausages purchased from the market will be added with a preservative - nitrite, which mainly inhibits the growth and reproduction of Clostridium botulinum, and Clostridium botulinum may produce a highly toxic toxin - botulinum toxin during the growth process, which is more toxic than arsenic. Therefore, the rational and standardized use of preservatives can effectively inhibit the reproduction of harmful microorganisms in food, which plays an important role in ensuring food safety and prolonging the shelf life of food.
At present, there are more than 2,300 kinds of food additives allowed to be used in the mainland, which can be divided into two categories: natural and artificial chemical synthesis according to the source, and 23 categories according to function, including antioxidants, leavening agents, sweeteners, etc.
According to experts, food additives that meet the standards are harmless to the human body. We need to understand it scientifically and treat it rationally: food additives within the specified limits are safe.
Source: Guizhou Market Regulation
Editor: Yang Qianqian
Editor-in-charge: Chen Meng
Review: Wang Ying
Final review: Xie Tao