Do we need additives?

Additives are only approved when they are considered ‘necessary’. But food companies can argue that they 'need' an additive to make their food more colourful, attractive or tasty or so they can make a food more cheaply. The food industry often tells us that without food additives we would not have the range and choice of foods that we have on our supermarket shelves today, and that without additives our food would be less appealing and less safe.

Some additives do help to keep food safe and prevent the growth of food poisoning bacteria, but these make up less than 1% of all additive use and the use of such preservatives does not justify all additive use.