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Additives - European Commission
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data-ecl-breadcrumb-item="expandable"><a href="/food-safety_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-link--no-visited ecl-breadcrumb__link" >Food Safety</a><svg class="ecl-icon ecl-icon--fluid ecl-breadcrumb__icon" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true" role="presentation"><use xlink:href="/themes/contrib/oe_theme/dist/ec/images/icons/sprites/icons.svg#corner-arrow"></use></svg></li><li class="ecl-breadcrumb__segment" data-ecl-breadcrumb-item="static"><a href="/food-safety/food-improvement-agents_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-link--no-visited ecl-breadcrumb__link" >Food improvement agents</a><svg class="ecl-icon ecl-icon--fluid ecl-breadcrumb__icon" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true" role="presentation"><use xlink:href="/themes/contrib/oe_theme/dist/ec/images/icons/sprites/icons.svg#corner-arrow"></use></svg></li><li class="ecl-breadcrumb__segment ecl-breadcrumb__current-page" data-ecl-breadcrumb-item="static" aria-current="page"><span>Additives</span></li></ol></nav><div class="ecl-page-header__info"><h1 class="ecl-page-header__title"><span>Additives</span></h1></div></div></div> </div> <main class="ecl-u-pb-xl" id="main-content" data-inpage-navigation-source-area="h2.ecl-u-type-heading-2, div.ecl-featured-item__heading"> <div class="ecl-container"> <div class="ecl-row"> <div class="ecl-col-s-12 ewcms-top-sidebar"> <div> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ecl-row"> <div class="ecl-col-s-12"> <div id="block-ewcms-theme-main-page-content" data-inpage-navigation-source-area="h2, div.ecl-featured-item__heading" class="ecl-u-mb-l"> <article dir="ltr"> <div> <div class="ecl"><h2>What are food additives?</h2> <p>Additives are substances used for a variety of reasons - such as <strong>preservation</strong>, <strong>colouring</strong>, <strong>sweetening</strong>, etc.- during the preparation of food.</p> <p>The European Union legislation defines them as "any substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not normally used as a characteristic ingredient of food, whether or not it has nutritive value".</p> <p>Added to food for technological purposes in its manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport or storage, food additives become a component of the food.</p> <p>Additives can be used for various purposes. EU legislation defines 26 "technological purposes". <strong>Additives are used, among other things, as</strong>:</p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>Colours</strong> – they are used to add or restore colour in a food</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Preservatives</strong> – these are added to prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against micro-organisms</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Antioxidants</strong> – substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against oxidation (i.e. fat rancidity and colour changes)</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Flour treatment agents</strong> – added to flour or to dough to improve its baking quality</p> </li> </ul> <h2>Are food additives safe?</h2> <p>The safety of all food additives that are currently authorised has been assessed by the <a href="/horizontal-topics/expert-groups/scientific-committees/scientific-committee-food-archive_en">Scientific Committee on Food (SCF)</a> and/or the <a href="http://www.efsa.europa.eu/">European Food Safety Authority</a> (EFSA).</p> <p>Only additives for which the proposed uses were considered safe are on the EU list.</p> <p><strong>For more information, please consult the document <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_11_783">Questions and Answers on Food Additives</a>.</strong></p> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul> <li><a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-11-783_en.htm">Q&A on Food Additives</a></li> </ul></div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ecl-row"> <div class="ecl-col-s-12"> <div id="block-ewcms-theme-navigation-block" class="ecl-u-mb-l"> <div class="navigation-lists-block"><div class="ecl-content-item-block"><div class="ecl-row"><div class="ecl-content-item-block__item contextual-region ecl-u-mb-l ecl-col-12 ecl-col-l-4 last-item-column"><article class="ecl-navigation-list__item ecl-navigation-list__item--no-border" ><div class="ecl-content-block ecl-navigation-list__content-block" data-ecl-auto-init="ContentBlock" 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