The A, B, C of Food Additives

Food processing has gaining importance in the scheme of economic growth. Consequently, the area of permitted chemical substances i.e. Food additives has gaining special importance during the liberalisation of global economy resulting in mass production of non- traditional as well as traditional foods. Wastage of food is a time & energy resource loss and should be avoided at all costs. The addition of food additives can prevent or greatly impede the process of deterioration.

Alistair Frazer, a world authority on food additives has summed up the principles governing the use of food additives as they are (i) technologically effective (ii) safe in use (iii) absolutely necessary quantity (iv) never misleading to consumer about nature and quality of food & (v) least use of non-nutrient food additives.

By keeping all these in mind, a primary systematic comprehensive compilation is felt necessary for to give a good basic insight about food additives. Most of what we have compiled appears in scattered manner in many excellent articles, books, research papers, sites etc. Our purpose is to provide at-a-glance systematic information about complete range of different types of food additives in a concise manner to the students and readers of food processing science.

We shall gratefully acknowledge the suggestions and information for its further improvement.