The introduction of food additives in food products according to their technological purpose can be aimed at:
• improving the appearance and organoleptic properties of the food product;
• maintaining the quality of the product during its storage;
• acceleration of the timing of food production.
In accordance with the technological purpose, niche additives, in turn, could be grouped as follows:
A. Nutritional supplements that provide the necessary appearance and organoleptic properties of the product, including, in turn:
• improve consistency,
• food colorings,
• flavors,
• flavoring substances.
B. Food additives that prevent microbial or oxidative spoilage of products (preservatives):
• antimicrobial agents:
- chemical,
- biological:
• antioxidants (antioxidants) that prevent chemical spoilage of the product (oxidation).
B. Nutritional supplements needed in the food manufacturing process:
• process accelerators,
• myoglobin fixatives,
• technological food additives, such as: tssga disintegrants, gelling agents, foaming agents, bleaches and lr.
G. Food quality enhancers.
The Codex Alimentaris Commission identifies a number of functional classes of food additives, their definitions (definitions) and subclasses (technological functions), which are given in the table below.
| Functional classes (for marking purposes) | Definitions | Subclasses (technological functions) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| one | Acids (Acid) | Increase acidity and / or give a sour taste to food | Acidifier |
| 2 | Acidity regulator | Alter or regulate the acidity or alkalinity of a food product | Acids, alkalis, bases, buffer, pH regulators |
| 3 | Anti-caking and clumping agents (Anicakiog agent) | Reduce the tendency of food particles to adhere to each other | Hardening additives, tackifiers, drying additives, powders, separators |
| four | Antifoam agents (Antifoaming agent) | Prevent or reduce foam formation | Defoamers |
| 5 | Antioxidants (Antioxidant) | Increase food shelf life by protecting against spoilage caused by oxidation, such as rancidity of fats or discoloration | Antioxidants, synergists of antioxidants, complexing agents, antioxidants |
| 6 | Fillers (Bulking agent) | Substances other than water or air that increase the volume of a product without significantly affecting its energy value | Fillers |
| 7 | Dyes (Color) | Enhance or restore product color | Dyes |
| 8 | Color retention agent | Stabilize, maintain or enhance the color of the product | Color fixers, color stabilizers |
| 9 | Emulsifiers | Form or maintain a homogeneous mixture of two or more immiscible phases, such as oil and water in foods | Emulsifiers, emollients, dispersants, surfactants, wetting agents |
| 10 | Emulsifying salt | Interact with cheese proteins to prevent the separation of fat in the manufacture of processed cheese | Melting salts, complexing agents |
| eleven | Sealers (plant tissue) (Firming agent) | Make or keep the tissues of fruits and vegetables firm and fresh, interact with gelling agents to form a gel or strengthen the gel | Sealers (plant tissue) |
| 12 | Amplifiers of taste and smell (Flavor enhancer) | Enhances the natural taste and / or smell of food products | Taste enhancers, flavor modifiers, boiling aid additives |
| 13 | Flour treatment agent | Substances added to flour to improve its baking quality or color | Whitening additives, dough improvers, flour improvers |
| fourteen | Foaming agents (Foaming agent) | They create conditions for uniform diffusion of the gaseous phase into liquid and solid food products. | Whipping additives, aeration additives |
| fifteen | Gelatin and (Gelling agent) | Food texture by gel formation | Jelly formers |
| 16 | Glazers (Glazing agent) | Substances which, when lubricated with the outer surface of the product, give a shiny appearance or form a protective layer | Film formers polishing substances |
| 17 | Water Retention Agents (Humectant) | Protects food from drying out by neutralizing the influence of atmospheric air with low humidity | Moisture / Water Retainants, Wetting Agents |
| eighteen | Preservative | Increase shelf life of products, protecting against spoilage caused by microorganisms | Antimicrobial and antifungal additives, additives for combating bacteriophages, chemical sterilizing additives for wine aging, disinfectants |
| 19 | Prepellants (Propellant) | Gas other than air pushing a product out of a container | Propellants |
| twenty | Baking powder (Raising agent) | Substances or a combination of substances that release gas and thus increase the volume of dough | Baking powder, substances that contribute to the vital activity of yeast |
| 21 | Stabilizers | Allows you to maintain a homogeneous mixture of two or more immiscible substances in a food product or finished food | Binders, sealants, moisture and water-retaining substances, foam stabilizers |
| 22 | Sweeteners | Substances of a non-sugar nature, which give a sweet taste to food products and prepared foods | Sweeteners, Artificial Sweeteners |
| 23 | Thickeners (Thickener) | Increase food viscosity | Thickeners, texturators |