The text is from here.
Food additive inspection
Last updated on April 2, 2024.
What are food additives?
In the Food Sanitation Law, food additives are defined as "things used in food manufacturing processes or for the purpose of processing or preserving food by adding, mixing, wetting, or other methods."
The purpose of using food additives is roughly divided into the following four categories:
- Main additives that are needed and used when manufacturing and processing food
- Tofu coagulant
- Emulsifiers
- Expansion agent
- Yeast food
- Gum base
- Luster agent
- Sardine
- Chewing gum softening agent
- pH regulator
- Thickening stabilizer
- Main additives used to improve the color, taste and aroma of food
- Coloring agent
- Colorants
- Sweetener
- Bleaching agent
- Acidic acid
- Seasonings
- Fragrance
- Bitterness
- Main additives used to supplement and strengthen the nutritional value of food
- Nutrition enhancement agent
- Main additives used to enhance food shelf life and prevent food poisoning
- Preservatives
- Antioxidants
- Cluster prevention agent
Food additives have usage standards (regulations on the types and usage of foods that can be used) by the Food Sanitation Law.
In addition, when food additives are used under the Food Labeling Act, it is mandatory to display them on food containers and packaging, with some exceptions.
As a general rule, the labeling method is to display the name of the substance used, but for the eight types of additives, such as preservatives, in addition to the substance name, the application name must be added (for example, preservative (solvic acid)). Must.
Of the above-mentioned additives, the other 14 types usually have the purpose and effect by combining multiple additives, or are naturally present in food, and the name of each substance is indicated. It is considered that the necessity is low, and it is permitted to display only bulk names (e.g. emulsifiers).
In addition, some additives with names that are more familiar to the chemical name can also be labeled by alias (e.g. L-ascorbic acid is vitamin C and sodium bicarbonate is sodium bicarbonate).
The Food Sanitation Laboratory conducts inspections of additives that are frequently used in manufacturing the food, even if not labeled, focusing on the additives listed in the labeling of the target for food additive inspection. I am.
Major food additives
| Name of Use | Applications | Name of Major Substances |
|---|---|---|
Thickener, stabilizer, gel agent or glue agent |
Gives food smoothness and viscosity. |
|
Coloring agent |
It reacts with ingredients in food to produce stable pigments, or fixes pigments in food to make food color tones clear. |
|
| Colorants | To make the food color tone clear by adjusting the color tone of the food or preventing the original color tone of the food from discoloring or discoloring. |
|
| Sweetener | Improve flavor by adding sweetness to food and enhancing it. |
|
| Bleaching agent | Decompose or change natural pigments (such as carotene) and brown variants in food to bleach and colorless. |
|
| Preservatives | In order to enhance the shelf life of food, control the growth of microorganisms in food and prevent spoilage and deterioration from occurring. |
|
| Antioxidants | In foods containing oils and fats and fats, oils and fats are oxidized due to the effects of oxygen, heat, light, etc., to prevent the occurrence of discoloration (oil burns), abnormal odors, and the generation of harmful components. |
|
| Cluster prevention agent | Citrus fruits and bananas such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons are mostly imported by boat from abroad, so they take time to transport them, and mold may occur during transportation to prevent them. |
|
| Name of Use | Applications | Name of Major Substances |
|---|---|---|
| Emulsifiers | To mix things like water and oil that are separated evenly without mixing them as they are. |
|
| Expansion agent | In the manufacturing process of bread and sweets, gas (carbon dioxide and ammonia) is generated to expand the dough to produce plump and softness. |
|
| Yeast food | It serves as a nutrient source of yeast (yeast) in the manufacturing process of bread and sweets, and generates gas through fermentation. |
|
| Acidic acid | Improve the flavor by adding acidity or enhancing food. |
|
| Seasonings | Add flavor (umami) to food, or adjust taste quality. |
|
Inquiries to this page
Medical Care Bureau Health and Safety Department Central Wholesale Market Food Sanitation Laboratory
Phone: 045-441-1153
Phone: 045-441-1153
Fax: 045-441-8009
E-Mail address [email protected]
Page ID: 367-118-917
