Food additives (synonyms: additives; food additives) are added during the production or treatment of food for technological – flow properties, consistency, foaming – or dietary reasons. Whether an ingredient is considered an additive depends not only on the quantity but also on whether the substance is used primarily for technological reasons. For example, if flavors, vitamins or other natural or nature-identical substances are used with the purpose of increasing the nutritional value or changing the sensory properties – taste, odor, appearance – these belong to the ingredients. Under German law, the following substances are considered equivalent to additives: Amino acids, vitamins A and D, minerals and artificial flavors. Not considered additives are all other flavors, pesticides and auxiliary substances (e.g. enzymes). In order to classify food additives uniformly in the European Union, the E-numbers were introduced. “E” stands for “Europe”. It happens that the E-number of different additives differs only by a trailing, lowercase letter. This means that the substances belong to the same family of substances, such as the carotenoids E 160a, E 160b, etc. Such additives in food may only be approved in Germany if they are technologically necessary and harmless to health. Some of them promote allergic reactions or cause them themselves. Others hinder the absorption of vital substances (micronutrients) and have a detrimental effect on the metabolism. Food additives are divided into the following functional classes:
| Food additive | E numbers | Effect in food |
| Antioxidant | E 220 – E 224, E 226 – E 228, E 300 – E 322, E 330, E 512 | Prolong shelf life – protect from damage by oxygen (e.g. from fat going rancid). |
| Baking improvers | E 541, E 500 – E 504 | Increase the volume of a dough |
| Emulsifiers | E 472 – E 495 | Allow mixing of immiscible liquids such as oil and water |
| Dyes | E 100 – E 180 | Add color to a food or compensate for color loss |
| Solidifying agent | E 325 – E 327 | Are mainly used in fruits and vegetables and give strength to their cellular tissues |
| Humectant | E 422 | Prevent drying out |
| Fillers | E 414, E 901 – E 904 | Increase the volume of a food without affecting its energy content |
| Gelling agents | E 406 – E 410 | Give food a firmer consistency by forming a gel |
| Flavor enhancer | E 363, E 508 – E 511, E 620 – E 635, E 640, E 650, E 950 – E 968 | Enhance the taste and odor of a food |
| Complexing agent | E 450 – E 452 | These substances form chemical complexes with metal ions |
| Preservatives | E 200 – E 290 | Prolong the shelf life of food – protect against microbial spoilage and growth of pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms. |
| Flour treatment agents | E 471, E 472 | Are added to flour or dough to improve their baking properties |
| Modified starches | E1 404 – E1 450 | Have better heat and acid stability as well as better freezing and thawing behavior compared to natural starch |
| Packing gases | E 941 | Are filled into the package before, after or at the same time as the food (except air) – create an aseptic atmosphere |
| Acidifier | E 330, E 355, E 363 | Impart a sour taste to food |
| Acidity regulators | E 170, E 261 – E 263, E 325 – E 380, E 450 – E 452, E 500 – E 580 | Hold the acidity of a food |
| Foaming agent | E 471 – E 472f | Used to combine gases and liquids that cannot actually be mixed together to form foam (e.g.B. Whipped cream) |
| Antifoaming agent | E 900 | Prevent or reduce foam formation |
| Melting salts | E 450 – E 452 | Are used in processed cheese production; due to them, all the components of the processed cheese are evenly distributed and remain smooth and flowable |
| Stabilizers | E 535 – E 538, E 927b | Maintain the physicochemical state of a food (color, texture) |
| Sweeteners | E 420, E 421, E 950 – E 967 | Sweeteners and sugar substitutes |
| Excipients | E 901 – E 904 | Are used, for example, to distribute flavors, colorings or vitamins as desired |
| Propellants | E 938 – E 948 | Are squeezed out of the container of the food (except air), e.g. spray cream |
| Release agent | E 901 – E 904, E1 505, E1 518 | Ensure that the individual particles of a food product do not clump together |
| Coating agent | E 912, E 914 | Give a glossy appearance to the surface of a food or form a protective coating |
| Thickening agent | E 400 – E 468, E 1400 – E 1451 | Increase the viscosity of a food, e.g. make sauces viscous |
ADI value
Only a few additives are allowed to be used in food without any quantity limit. For the majority of food additives, their use is restricted. This maximum amount is indicated by the so-called ADI value: The ADI value (Acceptable Daily Intake) is the amount of a particular substance that a person can consume every day for the rest of his or her life without causing damage to health. In other words, it is used for the toxicological evaluation of a substance. The ADI value is given in milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Example: If the ADI for an additive is 0.1 mg/kg, this means that a 70 kg adult can consume 7 mg (70 kg x 0.1 mg) of this additive daily, and a 40 kg child can consume 4 mg without fear of harm to health. To determine the ADI of an additive, a series of feeding trials are conducted on animals. The results are then extrapolated to humans with a safety factor. To ensure that sick or sensitive consumers are not harmed by the additives, a safety factor is again taken into account, and only then is the ADI value referred to. The ADI value is not a limit value. Even if it is exceeded now and then, there is no danger due to the high safety factor.
