Since the milk powder incident, there has been an increase in media coverage and interviews on the topic of food additives. However, after listening to the questions from reporters, I realized that most of their questions had little to do with additives. There are so many misconceptions in this area that even the questions themselves are based on huge misunderstandings.
Misconceptions about food additives
Misconception 1: Harmful substances added to food are all food additives
Recently, nine ministries and commissions released a list of non-food substances that may be added to food, with the intention of clarifying the difference between food additives and non-food substances. However, this list was mistakenly interpreted as a "list of illegal food additives." It's absurd to create such a list of "non-food substances." Tomorrow, someone might add watercolor to a cake, the day after tomorrow, someone might add lime powder to flour, and the day after that, someone might add red brick powder to chili powder... The creativity of criminals is boundless, so this list would become longer and include millions of non-food substances.
In fact, the term "food additive" refers specifically to substances permitted for use in food by the government. Many people have a negative impression of additives because they confuse illegal substances added to food with food additives. Let's do a test:
Which of the following substances are not food additives? (Multiple choices allowed)
A. Formaldehyde B. Melamine C. Sudan Red D. Industrial wax E. Cyanuric acid
F. Calcium propionate G. Dichlorvos H. Potassium sorbate I. Sulfites J. Benzoyl peroxide
In the above options, A, B, C, D, and G are non-food substances. Using formaldehyde to foam seafood, using melamine to bleach bean vermicelli, using Sudan Red to dye chili oil, using industrial wax to polish fruits – all of these are prohibited by the government because they are not within the scope of food additives and are harmful to human health. It's like using paint pigments for beverages or using wall paint to color cakes. Cyanuric acid is definitely not a food additive. It is supposed to be used in the production of furniture veneers and plastic bowls. Adding it to food is a ridiculous and astonishing "creative" idea. There is no record in history of adding cyanuric acid to food, so it is impossible for it to be a food additive.
Non-edible substances, regardless of the amount added to food, are illegal. Food additives, on the other hand, are legal as long as they are used within the specified limits and ranges. For example, adding government-approved food coloring to candy is not illegal as long as the amount does not exceed the standard. Only when scientific research discovers new toxic reactions will government agencies change the usage limits or remove substances from the list of food additives. Therefore, the association of melamine with food additives by the journalists is a complete misunderstanding of the basic concept of food additives.
Misconception 2: Some brands claiming to be additive-free are superior to other brands
A food expert asserts, "Processed foods without any food additives cannot be high-quality or safe." This statement is not an exaggeration in modern society. However, we can also see some brands in the market promoting their products as "free of preservatives," "free of artificial colors," or "free of flavorings." Consumers are tempted to believe that these products are healthier and eagerly purchase them.
In reality, this is just a marketing tactic. It takes advantage of consumers' lack of knowledge about food additives and creates a misconception that only this brand is free of a certain additive while other brands contain it. This often involves unfair competition. For example, instant noodles have very little moisture content and do not require preservatives for long-term storage. Promoting this fact is a misleading "nonsense."
According to the "Food Additive Hygiene Standards" implemented in June 2008, China classifies food additives into 22 categories, totaling 1812 types, including 290 additives, 1528 flavors, 149 processing aids, and 55 gum base materials. The global market for food additives has an annual sales revenue of over 16 billion US dollars. Modern food processing is difficult to completely eliminate the use of preservatives. Even if a certain food claims to be free of preservatives, it does not necessarily mean it is free of antioxidants. Similarly, claiming to be free of artificial colors does not mean it is free of flavorings or other additives such as emulsifiers and thickeners.
Misconception 3: Food without additives is always safer
In many cases, if there are no suitable additives, processed foods can be even less safe. Let's take instant noodles as an example. The oil in the noodles can become rancid after just a few days in the air, but the shelf life of fried instant noodles is six months, and they do not have any off flavors. Why? Because they contain antioxidants. It is natural for oil to oxidize in the air. If we don't find a way to inhibit oxidation and prevent the generation of harmful oxidants, what value does the food have?
In addition to instant noodles, any food with a high fat content will inevitably require the use of antioxidants. Products like fried rice cakes, potato chips, twisted doughnuts, and broad beans, as well as some cookies, biscuits, and pies that can be stored for months in supermarkets, are prone to spoilage without antioxidants.
For example, long-stored dried fruits and preserved fruits, as well as soy sauce and pickles in supermarkets, would quickly deteriorate without the help of sugar and salt, which act as "natural preservatives." But nowadays, people know that consuming too much salt and sugar is not good for health. Therefore, low-sugar dried fruits and low-salt pickles can only rely on synthetic preservatives. For example, jelly that children like to eat must also contain preservatives. Otherwise, with low sugar content and high moisture content, how can it be stored for a long time at room temperature?
Therefore, food additives should not be added randomly when not necessary, and they should not be omitted when necessary. After all, food safety is the most important. Microorganisms are always ready to compete with us for the nutrients in food, and oxygen in the air is always ready to oxidize the nutrients in food. As many experts have said, it is extremely rare and worrying to have processed food without any additives.
Misconception 4: Additives are used by businesses to deceive consumers
Why is the modern food industry so reliant on food additives? Because consumers have demanding requirements for the appearance, taste, convenience, and shelf life of food. Without additives, it is hard to imagine that food can maintain a pleasant state for a long time, and it is also hard to imagine that consumers can consume safe food. Can supermarkets sell products that will grow mold or rot within a day or two? Can food manufacturers sell products that change color and taste within a few days? Even if they dare to sell, will consumers be willing to buy?
If consumers are not willing to buy fresh ingredients and make food themselves, but still demand long shelf life, attractive appearance, exceptional taste, then they have to coexist with food additives. - There is no satisfaction without paying a price. The desire for convenience and mouth-watering tastes often comes at a cost. Instead of saying that businesses deceive consumers, it is more accurate to say that consumers themselves blindly pursue appearance, taste, and convenience.
Therefore, we should accept food additives calmly and appreciate their contributions to the safety, deliciousness, and convenience of food. However, consumers should avoid the misconception of excessive pursuit of taste, color, and flavor and should accept the natural characteristics of food. Consumers should also carefully read the ingredient labels on packaging and make wise choices when selecting food.
For harmful substances that do not belong to food additives, they should be severely punished by the law if added to food. In the future, the legal definition of such incidents should reach the level of "endangering public safety" rather than just the punishment of "manufacturing counterfeit and shoddy products."
