Food Additives: A Critical Evaluation of Their Role

The practice of using food additives is age old. In ancient times these additives were employed mainly to preserve food. Salting, pickling, flavouring were art of food processing in ancient civilizations like Egypt. China and also India. But in present times there has been a tremendous increase in the use of new food additives with the so-called explosion of food processing techniques. It has been recorded that by the end of the last century at least 2500, if not more, substances were being added to food articles with different purposes and motivations. The number has surely been increased now. The purpose of adding different chemicals to food materials are generally for preservation, enhancing flavour, imparting colour, increasing shelf life, and also for protecting nutritional value. They are supposed to have made a positive contribution to the consumer need. But it is to be considered seriously whether all these additives are essential for the processing of food. That is why the big question has come up concerning each and every food additive as to whether its use is necessary and, if so, whether or not it is safe for human health.