Paper No.

: 13
Paper Title: Food Additives
Module – 2. Functional Classification of Food Additives

2.1 Introduction

According to the Food Protection Committee of the Food and Nutrition Board, food additives
may be defined as a substance or mixture of substances, other than a basic foodstuff, which is
present in a food as a result of any aspect of production, processing, storage, or packaging. The
term does not include chance contaminants.

Since prehistoric times, chemicals have been added to foods to perform special functions.
Although basic foods contain no additives, as foods are processed for conversion into a variety of
products, an increasing number of additives are generally used. Technological advances in food
processing have increased the variety and use of these additives. Today, more than 2500 different
additives are intentionally added to foods to produce a desired effect. The use of these additives
is a well-accepted practice but is not without controversy.

Additives can be divided into six major categories: preservatives, nutritional additives,
flavouring agents, colouring agents, texturizing agents and miscellaneous additives. Several
additives commonly serve more than one function in foods.

2.2 Classification of Food Additives

Additives are classified into several ways i.e. based on occurrence, source and their function in
food.

2.2.1 Based on occurrence:

They are classified as intentional or unintentional

(A) Intentional Food Additives:

- Deliberately added to the food.
 - Serve useful function(s)- beneficial.
- e.g. stabilizers, emulsifiers, preservatives, etc
(B) Unintentional Food Additives (contaminants):
- Find their way in food accidentally.
- Cause health hazard and may also spoil the food.
- e.g. pesticides, toxins, heavy metals, etc.

2.2.2 Based on Source:

They are natural, synthetic and nature identical
(A) Natural:
They are derived from natural sources
- Animals, plants, micro-organisms etc.
(B) Synthetic:
They are chemically synthesized
- Artificial
(C) Nature Identical:
They are synthesized artificially
- But chemically similar (identical) to those obtained from natural sources.

2.3 Functional Classification of Food Additives (For Labeling Purpose)

Food Additive are classified according to their function in food which can be further used as
labeling purpose. It is difficult to classify food additive on the basis of their function in the food.
This is mainly because they overlap each other in the numerous combinations or effect i.e. an
additive serves more than one function. Functional classification of food additives according to
their function in food is given below.

 Acid (Acidifier): Increases the acidity and / or impart a sour taste to food

 Acidity Regulators (Acid, alkali, base, buffer, buffering agent, pH adjusting agents):
Alters or controls the acidity or alkalinity of a food.
 Anticaking Agent or Free Flow Agent: Substance added to finely, powdered or
crystalline food product to prevent caking, lumping, or agglomeration. Also reduces the
tendency of particles of food to adhere to one other. Also known as antistick agent,
drying agent, dusting powder, release agent.

 Antifoaming Agents: Prevent or reduces foaming. Reduces the tendency of particles of

food to adhere to one another.

 Antimicrobial Agent: Substance used to preserve food by preventing growth of

microorganisms and subsequent spoilage, including fungistats, mold and rope inhibitors.
Also includes, antimyotic agents, preservatives and mold preventing agents (indirect
additives).

 Antioxidant: Substance used to preserve food by retarding deterioration, rancidity, or

discolouration due to oxidation. It prolongs the shelf life of food by protecting against
deterioration caused by oxidation, such as fat rancidity and colour change.

 Bleaching agent: A food additive (non-flour use) used to decolourize the food. Bleaching
agents do not include pigments.

 Bulking Agents: A substance, other than air or water, which contributes to the bulk of
food without contributing significantly to its available energy

 Carbonating agent: A food additive used to provide carbonation in a food.

 Carrier: A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify
a food additive or nutrient without altering its function (and without exerting any
technological effect itself) in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food
additive or nutrient. Applied as carrier solvent, diluent for other food additives,
encapsulating agent, nutrient carrier etc.

 Colour or Colouring Adjunct: Substance used to impart, preserve, or enhance the colour
or shading of a food. Includes colour fixatives, colour-retention agents, etc. It stabilizes,
retains or intensifies the colour of food.
 Curing or Pickling Agent: Substance imparting a unique flavour and/or colour to food,
usually producing an increase in self-life stability.

 Dough Strengthener: Substance used to modify starch and gluten, thereby producing
more stable dough.

 Drying Agent: Substance with moisture-absorbing ability, used to maintain an

environment of low moisture.

 Emulsifier: Substance, which modifies surface tension in the component phase of an

emulsion to establish a uniform dispersion or emulsion. It forms or maintains a uniform
mixture of two or more immiscible phases such surface as oil and water in food.

 Emulsifying Salt: Rearrange cheese proteins in the manufacture of processed cheese, in

order to prevent separation.

 Enzyme: Enzyme used to improve food processing and the quality of finished food.

 Firming Agent: Substance added to precipitate residual pectin, thus strengthening the
supporting tissue and preventing its collapse during processing. It makes or keep tissues
of fruit or vegetables firm & crisp, or interacts with gelling agents to produce or
strengthen gel

 Flavour Enhancer: Substance added to supplement, enhance, or modify the original taste
and/or aroma of a food, without imparting a characteristic taste or aroma of its own. It
enhances the existing taste and/or odour of a food

 Flavouring Agent or Adjuvant: Substance added to impart or help impart a taste or aroma
in food.

 Flour Treating Agent: substances added to milled flour, at the mill to improve its colour
and/or baking qualities, inducing bleaching and maturing agents. Also known as dough
improver or flour improver.
 Foaming Agent (Whipping agent, aerating agent): Make it possible to form or maintain a
uniform dispersion of a gaseous phase in liquid or solid food.

 Formulation Aid: Substance used to promote or promote or to produce a desired physical

state or texture in food. Including carriers, binders, fillers, plasticizers, film-formers, and
tableting aids, etc.

 Freezing or Cooling Agents: Substance that reduces the temperature of food materials
through direct contact.

 Fumigant: Volatile substance used for controlling insects or pests.

 Gelling agent: Gives a food texture through formation of gel

 Glazing agent: A food additive, which when applied to the external surface of a food,
imparts a shiny appearance or provides a protective coating. Also known as coating
agent, film forming agent, polishing agent, sealing agent.

 Humectant (Moisture/ water retention agent, wetting agent): Hygroscopic substances

incorporated in food to promote retention of moisture. Includes moisture retention agents
and anti-dusting agents. Prevents food from drying out by counteracting the effect of an
wetting agent atmosphere having low degree of humidity

 Leavening Agent: Substance used to produce or stimulate production of carbon dioxide in

baked goods in order to impart a light texture, including yeast, yeast foods, and calcium
salts.

 Lubricant or Release Agent: Substance added to food contact surfaces to prevent

ingredients and finished products from sticking to them (direct additives). Includes
release agents, lubricants, surface lubricants, waxes and anti-blocking agents (indirect
additives).

 Malting or Fermenting Aid: Substance used to control the rate or nature of malting or
fermenting process including microbial nutrients and suppressants and excluding acids
and alkalis.
 Masticatory Substance: Substance that is responsible for the long lasting and pliable
property of chewing gum.

 Nutrient Supplement: Substance necessary for the body’s nutritional and metabolic
process.

 Oxidizing or Reducing Agent: Substance, which chemically oxidizes or reduces another

food ingredient, thereby producing a more sable product.

 pH Control Agent: Substance added to change or to maintain active acidity or basicity.

Includes buffers, acids, alkalis and neutralizing agents.

 Preservative: A food additive, which prolongs the shelf-life of a food by protecting

against deterioration caused by microorganisms.

 Processing Aid: Substances used as a manufacturing aid to enhance the appeal or utility
of a food or component. Includes clarifies, clouding agents, catalysts, flocculents, filter
aids, crystallization inhibitors, etc.

 Propellant: Gas used to supply force to expel a product or used to reduce the amount of
oxygen in contact with the food in packaging.

 Raising agent: (Leavening agent): A substance or combination of substances which

liberate gas and there by increased volume of a dough

 Sequesterant: Substance, which combines with polyvalent meta1 ions to forma soluble
metal complex to improve the quality and stability of products.

 Solvent or Vehicle: Substance used to extract or dissolve another substance.

 Stabilizer or Thickener: Substance used to produce viscous solutions or dispersions, to

impart body, improve consistency, or stabilize emulsions. Includes suspending and
bodying agents, setting agents, and bulking agents.
 Surface Finishing Agents: Substance used to increase palatability, preserve gloss and
inhibit discolouration of foods. Includes glazes, polishes, waxes and protective coatings.

 Surface-Active Agent: Substance used to modify surface properties of liquid food

components for a variety of effects, other than emulsifiers. Includes solubilizing agents,
dispersants, detergents, wetting agents, rehydrating enhancers, foaming agents,
defoaming agents, etc.

 Sweetener: A substance which imparts a sweet taste to a food

 Synergist: Substance used to act or react with another food ingredient to produce a total
effect different from or greater than the sum of the effects produced by the individual
ingredients.

 Texturizer: Substance, which affects the appearance or feel of the food.

 Thickener: Increase the viscosity of food. Also known as Thickening agent, bodying
agent.

 Tracer: Substance added as a food constituent (as required by regulation) so that levels
of this constituent can be detected after subsequent processing and/or combination with
other food materials.

 Washing or Surface Removal Agent: Substance used wash or assist in the removal of
unwanted surface layers from plant or animal tissues.