Recently, food safety problem caused by food additives has become a topic concerned by the public.

There are various food additives with different functions. The permitted food additives in China are divided into 22 classes such as preservative, colorant, sweeting agent etc., and also include flavoring essence, spice etc.

Food additives are chemosynthesis or natural substances added into food to improve quality, color, flavor and taste as well as for the purpose of preserving and meeting the requirements of processing technology. If there is no food additive, people cannot eat such appetizing food and food cannot have such long shelf life.

There are four reasons for using food additives in food: firstly, to control microorganism reproduction in food and prevent food from spoiling. For example, to prevent pickled vegetables, juice and soy from going bad, preservatives always shall be added; Secondly, to prevent the changes of color, taste and quality of food during preservation. For example, grease and fat in food are prone to go rancid, but the process can be delayed by adding antioxidant; Thirdly, to satisfy the requirements of food processing technology. For example, making bean curd needs coagulator, producing jelly and ice cream needs thickening agent and making soft bread definitely needs loosening agent; lastly, to make food has attractive appearance. Adding coloring matter in cake decorated with cream flowers to arise people’s willing to buy and have an appetite; adding artificial sweeting agent in cake to make those people not suit to eat sugar can enjoy desserts; adding essence make ice cream and yoghourt more special etc.

There are six basic requirements for using food additives. When using food additives: first, it shall not result in health hazard; second, shall not cover spoiling condition of food; third, shall not cover quality defects of food itself or caused during process or use food additives for the purpose of intermingle, adulteration and counterfeit; fourthly, shall not decrease nutritive value of food itself; fifthly, shall reduce the amount of food additive as far as possible when expected effect has been obtained; lastly, in general, food processing aids shall be eliminated before product being finished, except for specified residue amount in food.

According to the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China, the person producing and selling food out of line with hygiene standard and cause serious food poisoning accidents or other serious food born diseases to badly harm people’s health shall be sentenced; for the case with serious consequence, the person even can be sentenced to life imprisonment or his property shall be confiscated.