List of food additives

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Acids 
Food acids are added to make flavors "sharper", and also act as preservatives and antioxidants. Common food acids include vinegarcitric acidtartaric acidmalic acidfolic acidfumaric acid, and lactic acid.
Acidity regulators 
Acidity regulators are used to change or otherwise control the acidity and alkalinity of foods.
Anticaking agents 
Anticaking agents keep powders such as milk powder from caking or sticking.
Antifoaming agents 
Antifoaming agents reduce or prevent foaming in foods.
Antioxidants 
Antioxidants such as vitamin C act as preservatives by inhibiting the effects of oxygen on food, and can be beneficial to health.
Bulking agents 
Bulking agents such as starch are additives that increase the bulk of a food without affecting its nutritional value.
Food coloring 
Colorings are added to food to replace colors lost during preparation, or to make food look more attractive.
Color retention agents 
In contrast to colorings, color retention agents are used to preserve a food's existing color.
Emulsifiers 
Emulsifiers allow water and oils to remain mixed together in an emulsion, as in mayonnaiseice cream, and homogenized milk.
Flavors 
Flavors are additives that give food a particular taste or smell, and may be derived from natural ingredients or created artificially.
Flavor enhancers 
Flavor enhancers enhance a food's existing flavors. They may be extracted from natural sources (through distillationsolvent extractionmaceration, among other methods) or created artificially.
Flour treatment agents 
Flour treatment agents are added to flour to improve its color or its use in baking.
Glazing agents
Glazing agents provide a shiny appearance or protective coating to foods.
Humectants 
Humectants prevent foods from drying out.
Tracer gas
Tracer gas allow for package integrity testing to prevent foods from being exposed to atmosphere, thus guaranteeing shelf life.
Preservatives 
Preservatives prevent or inhibit spoilage of food due to fungibacteria and other microorganisms.
Stabilizers 
Stabilizers, thickeners and gelling agents, like agar or pectin (used in jam for example) give foods a firmer texture. While they are not true emulsifiers, they help to stabilize emulsions.
Sweeteners 
Sweeteners are added to foods for flavoring. Sweeteners other than sugar are added to keep the food energy (calories) low, or because they have beneficial effects for diabetes mellitus and tooth decay and diarrhea.
Thickeners 
Thickeners are substances which, when added to the mixture, increase its viscosity without substantially modifying its other properties.
Caffeine and other GRAS (generally recognized as safe) additives such as sugar and salt are not required to go through the regulation process.

Alphabetical index of food additives[edit]

0–9[edit]

A[edit]

B[edit]

C[edit]

D[edit]

E[edit]

F[edit]

G[edit]

H[edit]

I[edit]

J[edit]

K[edit]

L[edit]

M[edit]

N[edit]

O[edit]

P[edit]

Q[edit]

R[edit]

S[edit]

T[edit]

V[edit]

W[edit]

X[edit]

  • Xanthan gum – thickener, vegetable gum, stabilizer
  • Xylitol – humectant, stabiliser

Y[edit]

Z[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]