Artificial additives are synthetic substances added to food to preserve it or enhance its flavor. They can cause physical, chemical, or biological damage. Some are linked to health problems, leading to a growing movement for natural or organic foods.
Artificial additives are synthetic substances that are added to food. Synthetic substances are not found in the natural environment, so they have to be manufactured. They are commonly used to preserve food or enhance its flavor. Artificial additives are often contrasted with natural additives, which are typically made from naturally occurring chemicals. The use of artificial additives is widespread in industrialized countries, but there are growing movements advocating for natural or organic foods.
Food preservatives are commonly used to mitigate the damage likely to occur with foods from physical, chemical or biological processes. Physical damage can occur as a result of exposure to light or heat, and chemical oxidation can occur when food sits too long in the presence of oxygen. Most food spoilage, however, is caused by microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeast and molds. Sodium benzoate is an artificial food preservative that is effective in killing such microorganisms; its use is particularly common in highly acidic foods such as salad dressing.
A common artificial additive used to improve flavor is sugar substitute. These substances are typically much sweeter than sugar per unit mass. As a result, manufacturers can use much less sweetener to achieve a similar taste. Artificial sweeteners are generally cheaper to make than sugar, so food companies routinely save money by using this type of artificial additive. Many diet products contain a small amount of artificial sweetener and therefore less food energy than sugar, while maintaining a sweet taste.
Artificial colors are additives used to change the appearance of food. Seemingly natural foods, such as fruits and fish, sometimes contain artificial food coloring to mask natural color variations. Natural colors can also be reinforced or enhanced with artificial dyes. People frequently associate food coloring with certain flavors, so food coloring can also be used to influence perceived flavor. The use of natural food colors is on the rise, however, due to safety concerns with artificial additives.
The controversy with artificial additives dates back to the early twentieth century. Some artificial additives have been linked in research studies to cancer, digestive problems and behavioral effects. A famous example is the artificial sweetener saccharin. Saccharin has been investigated by the United States Food and Drug Administration since 1907, when the additive was suspected to be dangerous to public health. Laboratory rats fed high doses of saccharin have been shown to develop cases of bladder cancer. Saccharin is widely used today, because this danger has been shown to apply only to rats and not to humans.
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