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| Categories of Additives |
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Categories of Additives |
A summary bird's eye view of the main additive categories is presented below. A more detailed discussion of each can be found in the 'In the Mix' section. Just click for more information. Preservatives To protect against micro-organisms which cause spoilage and food poisoning, eg sodium nitrite in sausage and ham, calcium propionate in bread and other baked foods, sulphur dioxide in wine and beer. 
Antioxidants To retard oxidation of oils and fats which would result in rancidity, the formation of toxic products and loss of nutritionally important constituents such as unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins A and E, eg, tocopherols in fat for cakes, ascorbyl palmitate in margarine.
Gelling, thickening and stabilizing agents To give food the desired texture and consistency, eg modified starches to obtain freeze-thaw stability in frozen food, pectins in jam, locust bean gum in ice cream, to prevent formation of ice crystals, xanthan gum in low-oil dressing to maintain good consistency.
Emulsifiers To manufacture foods containing fats/oils and water, eg lecithin in chocolate, mono- and diglycerides in ice cream, lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides in bakery products.
Flavouring agents To impart flavours to prepared foods: a wide range of flavours are required for foods such as soft drinks, margarine, ice cream and other desserts, soups and sauces.
Colours To compensate for colour lost in processing and to impart colour to food, eg caramel colour in soft drinks, bouillon, soups, carotenes in cheese and margarine, carmoisine in soft drinks.
Intense sweeteners To replace sugar in low-calorie foods and to provide sweetness without calories.
Acids To add sharpness of flavour, eg phosphoric acid in cola drinks.
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