Food additives are substances not eaten as foods on their own but added in small amounts to do a technical job: keeping a cracker crisp, a filling smooth, a colour steady or a pack fresh for months. The Codex Alimentarius, the international food standards body, gives each one an INS (International Numbering System) number, and European E numbers follow the same codes.
On many packs, especially Thai ones, “Food Additives” works as a catch-all heading followed by a string of codes. The Paprika Flavoured Cracker from Fashion Food, for example, lists INS 170 (i), INS 319, INS 500 (ii), INS 503 (ii) and INS 509 under it: calcium carbonate, an antioxidant (TBHQ), two raising agents and a firming agent.
Each additive must be permitted for the type of food it is used in, usually up to a set maximum, and international safety evaluations are done by the FAO/WHO expert committee JECFA. Colours, preservatives and other additives with an obvious role often appear under their own function name instead.
