Where Are Additives Added to Food?

Most direct additives are identified on the ingredient label of foods. Indirect food additives are those that become part of the food in trace amounts due to its packaging, storage or other handling.

Where are food additives found?

Food additives can be derived from plants, animals, or minerals, or they can be synthetic. They are added intentionally to food to perform certain technological purposes which consumers often take for granted.

How are additives approved for use in food?

Food additives require FDA premarket approval based on safety data submitted to FDA in a food additive petition. FDA issues food additive regulations specifying conditions of use (i.e. technical functions, categories of food, and maximum levels of use) under which a food additive has been demonstrated to be safe.