Food additive labeling

The use of food additives should be authorized only in the basis of agreed scientific and technological criteria. Food additives can be approved only if:
*there is a technological need
*they represent no hazard to public health
*they do not mislead the consumer

In EU legislation the food labeling rules states that food additives must be declared in the ingredient by declaring their category names, followed by their E number for legal names. It must be noted that if an additive belongs to more than one category it has to be declared by the principal function it serves.

In United States, the risks or benefits of food additive and ingredients must be clearly displayed for consumers. The FD&C Act requires, in virtually all cases, a complete of all the ingredients of a food. Under the FDCA definition, a food additive is a substance which, through is intended use, may reasonably be expected (directly or indirectly) to become a component or affect the characteristics of any food.

The food Additives Amendment enacted in 1958 was designed to protect the health of consumers by requiring a food additive to be proven safe before addition to a food and to permit the food industry to use food additives that are safe at the intended level of use.

A food additive is a substance and not a process (with the exception of food irradiation which is classed as a food additive in the United States).

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act which amended the FDCA requires most foods to bear labeling and requires food labels that bear nutrient content claims and certain health massages to comply with specific requirements.

Food additives with no technological function in the finished product and processing aids need not to be declared. Some food additives (e.g sulfites) may trigger hypersensitivity reaction at levels below that required to exert a technological function. Carried over food additives and processing aids should be declared if they are known to cause reactions of allergy or intolerance.
Food additive labeling