Food additives have a long history. As early as the Dawenkou Culture period 6,000 years ago, yeast invertase (sucrase) used in brewing already existed as a food additive. The use of "brine" to coagulate tofu more than 2,000 years ago was essentially the application of a food additive-a food coagulant. With the evolution of the times, the types and functions of food additives have become increasingly diverse, but the pursuit of food quality and safety has always been a constant theme.
Without food additives in processed food, microorganisms would quickly consume the nutrients, and oxygen in the air would oxidize the nutrients, making it impossible to maintain food quality for long periods. Therefore, the modern food industry cannot function without food additives. Some products claiming "This product contains no preservatives," "This product contains no artificial colors," or "All-natural" are misleading the public.
Food additives have greatly promoted the development of the food industry and are hailed as the soul of the modern food industry, mainly because they bring many benefits to the industry.
1. Facilitates preservation and prevents spoilage
2. Improves the sensory properties of food
3. Maintains or enhances the nutritional value of food
4. Increases the variety and convenience of food products
5. Facilitates food processing and adapts to mechanized and automated production
6. Meets other special needs
