Editing Food additive (section)

===Categories===
Food additives can be divided into several groups, although there is some overlap because some additives exert more than one effect.  For example, salt is both a preservative as well as a flavor.<ref name=Ullmann>Erich Lück and Gert-Wolfhard von Rymon Lipinski "Foods, 3. Food Additives" in ''Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry'', 2002, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. {{doi| 10.1002/14356007.a11_561}}</ref><ref name="fda-cons">{{cite web |title=Food Additives and GRAS Ingredients – Information for Consumers |url=https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/food-additives-and-gras-ingredients-information-consumers |publisher=US Food and Drug Administration |access-date=4 January 2025 |date=24 May 2024}}</ref>

*[[Acidulant]]s confer sour or acid taste. Common acidulants include vinegar, [[citric acid]], [[tartaric acid]], [[malic acid]], [[fumaric acid]], and [[lactic acid]].
*[[Acidity regulator]]s are used for controlling the [[pH]] of foods for stability or to affect activity of enzymes.
*[[Anticaking agent]]s keep powders such as milk powder from caking or sticking.
*[[Defoamer|Antifoaming agents]] reduce or prevent foaming in foods.  Foaming agents do the reverse.
*[[Antioxidant]]s such as [[vitamin C]] are preservatives by inhibiting the degradation of food by [[oxygen]].
*{{anchor|bulking}}Bulking agents such as [[starch]] are additives that increase the bulk of a food without affecting its taste.
*[[Food coloring|Colorings]] are added to food to replace colors lost during preparation or to make food look more attractive.
*Fortifying agents: [[Vitamin]]s and [[Mineral (nutrient)|minerals]] may be added to increase the nutritional value
*In contrast to colorings, [[Colour retention agent|color retention agents]] are used to preserve a food's existing color.
*[[Emulsion#Emulsifiers|Emulsifiers]] allow water and oils to remain mixed together in an [[emulsion]], as in [[mayonnaise]], [[ice cream]], and homogenized milk.
*[[Flavoring]]s are additives that give food a particular taste or smell, and may be derived from natural ingredients or created artificially.

In Europe, flavorings do not have an E-code and they are not considered as food additives.
*[[Flavoring|Flavor enhancers]] enhance a food's existing flavors.  A popular example is [[monosodium glutamate]].  Some flavor enhancers have their own flavors that are independent of the food.
*[[Flour treatment agent]]s are added to flour to improve its color or its use in [[baking]].
*[[Glazing agent]]s provide a shiny appearance or protective coating to foods.
*[[Humectant]]s prevent foods from drying out.
*[[Tracer gas]] allows for package integrity testing to prevent foods from being exposed to atmosphere, thus guaranteeing shelf life.
*[[Preservative]]s prevent or inhibit spoilage of food due to [[Fungus|fungi]], bacteria and other [[microorganism]]s.
*[[Stabilizer (chemistry)|Stabilizers]], thickening and gelling agents, like [[agar]] or [[pectin]] (used in [[Fruit preserves|jam]] for example) give foods a firmer texture.  While they are not true emulsifiers, they help to stabilize [[emulsion]]s.
*[[Sugar substitute|Sweeteners]] are added to foods for flavoring. Sweeteners other than sugar are added to keep the [[food energy]] ([[calorie]]s) low.
*[[Thickening agent]]s are substances which, when added to the mixture, increase its [[viscosity]] without substantially modifying its other properties.
*[[Bisphenols]], [[phthalates]], and [[Perfluorinated compound|perfluoroalkyl chemicals]] (PFCs) are indirect additives used in manufacturing or packaging.  In July 2018 the [[American Academy of Pediatrics]] called for more careful study of those three substances, along with [[nitrates]] and food coloring, as they might harm children during development.<ref>{{cite news |title=Press release: Some Common Food Additives May Pose Health Risks to Children |url=https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/AAP-Says-Some-Common-Food-Additives-May-Pose-Health-Risks-to-Children.aspx |work=American Academy of Pediatrics |date=July 23, 2018}}</ref>