Types of food additives
| Type of additive | Function | Examples of foods |
| Antioxidant | Prevents foods from oxidising, or going rancid, keeping it for longer. | Ascorbic acid (E300) is added to some jams and fruit juices. |
| Bulking agent | Increases the bulk of a food without affecting its nutritional value. | Methyl cellulose (E461) is used in cereal bars. |
| Colourings | Added to food to replace colours lost during processing or to add colour to a food to make it more appealing. | Patent Blue V (E131) is used in sweets. |
| Emulsifiers | Allows water and oils to remain mixed together and prevents separation. | Lecithin (E322) is used in mayonnaise. |
| Flavourings | Added to foods to enhance their natural flavour or to add flavour to a food. | Monosodium glutamate, or MSG (E621), is added to processed foods, especially soups and sauces. |
| Preservatives | Prevents food from spoiling and extends shelf life. | Sodium Nitrite (E250) is used in bacon and cured meats. |
| Stabilisers, gelling agents and thickeners | Gives food a firmer or smooth texture, gives food a gel-like consistency. | Pectin (E440) is used in jams. |
| Sweeteners | Added to foods to increase the sweetness. | Saccharin (E954) is used in diet drinks. |
| Antioxidant | |
|---|---|
| Function | Prevents foods from oxidising, or going rancid, keeping it for longer. |
| Examples of foods | Ascorbic acid (E300) is added to some jams and fruit juices. |
| Bulking agent | |
|---|---|
| Function | Increases the bulk of a food without affecting its nutritional value. |
| Examples of foods | Methyl cellulose (E461) is used in cereal bars. |
| Colourings | |
|---|---|
| Function | Added to food to replace colours lost during processing or to add colour to a food to make it more appealing. |
| Examples of foods | Patent Blue V (E131) is used in sweets. |
| Emulsifiers | |
|---|---|
| Function | Allows water and oils to remain mixed together and prevents separation. |
| Examples of foods | Lecithin (E322) is used in mayonnaise. |
| Flavourings | |
|---|---|
| Function | Added to foods to enhance their natural flavour or to add flavour to a food. |
| Examples of foods | Monosodium glutamate, or MSG (E621), is added to processed foods, especially soups and sauces. |
| Preservatives | |
|---|---|
| Function | Prevents food from spoiling and extends shelf life. |
| Examples of foods | Sodium Nitrite (E250) is used in bacon and cured meats. |
| Stabilisers, gelling agents and thickeners | |
|---|---|
| Function | Gives food a firmer or smooth texture, gives food a gel-like consistency. |
| Examples of foods | Pectin (E440) is used in jams. |
| Sweeteners | |
|---|---|
| Function | Added to foods to increase the sweetness. |
| Examples of foods | Saccharin (E954) is used in diet drinks. |