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Abstract
Numerous ingredients are added to food that we consume daily. This practice is not new; in fact, it dates back hundreds of years. In its broadest sense a food additive is any ingredient that is added to the food in order to preserve, flavor, blend, thicken and color foods. Food additives have played a useful role in reducing serious nutritional deficiencies, and help ensure the availability of flavorful, nutritious, safe, convenient, colorful and affordable foods that meet consumer expectations year-round. In the United States, food and color additives are evaluated, regulated and monitored primarily by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The United States Food and Drug Administration has come under increased scrutiny by the public and elected officials with regards to its ability to ensure safe food supply, adequately monitor the food industry, and potential conflicts of interest with food industry. Multiple disciplines of study contribute to the advancement of the science of food additives, and their manufacturing, monitoring and regulation for safe use by public. Among these disciplines are toxicology, epidemiology, food science, environmental science, chemistry, and bioengineering. This paper provides an overview of key aspects of food additives as these relate to their human and environmental health implications and regulations in the United States.
Keywords: Food additive, generally recognized as safe (GRAS), priority-based assessment of food additives (PAFA), estimated daily intake (ADI), no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL)
Introduction
The United Stated Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines a food additive as, "any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result - directly or indirectly - in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food" (1). This definition includes any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation or storage of food. The FDA definition, therefore, requires a premarket approval for any additive. The definition excludes three categories of food ingredients: (1) ingredients whose use is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by experts, based on their extensive history of use in food before 1958 or based on published scientific evidence (1). Examples of GRAS substances include salt, sugar, spices, vitamins and monosodium glutamate (MSG); (2) those ingredients approved for use by FDA or the US Department of Agriculture prior to...