Food Additive Functional Classes

Acidity regulator
A food additive, which controls the acidity or alkalinity of a food.

Anticaking agent
Reduces the tendency of particles of food to adhere to one another.

Antifoaming agent
A food additive, which prevents or reduces foaming.

Antioxidant
A food additive, which prolongs the shelf-life of foods by protecting against deterioration caused by oxidation.

Bleaching agent
A food additive (non-flour use) used to decolourize food. Bleaching agents do not include pigments.

Bulking agent
A food additive, which contributes to the bulk of a food without contributing significantly to its available energy value.

Carbonating agent
A food additive used to provide carbonation in a food.

Carrier
A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function (and without exerting any technological effect itself) in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.

Colour
A food additive, which adds or restores colour in a food.

Colour retention agent
A food additive, which stabilizes, retains or intensifies the colour of a food.

Emulsifier
A food additive, which forms or maintains a uniform emulsion of two or more phases in a food.

Emulsifying salt
A food additive, which, in the manufacture of processed food, rearranges proteins in order to prevent fat separation.

Firming agent
A food additive, which makes or keeps tissues of fruit or vegetables firm and crisp, or interacts with gelling agents to produce or strengthen a gel.

Flavour enhancer
A food additive, which enhances the existing taste and/or odour of a food.

Flour treatment agent
A food additive, which is added to flour or dough to improve its baking quality or colour.

Foaming agent
A food additive, which makes it possible to form or maintain a uniform dispersion of a gaseous phase in a liquid or solid food.

Gelling agent
A food additive, which gives a food texture through formation of a gel.

Glazing agent
A food additive, which when applied to the external surface of a food, imparts a shiny appearance or provides a protective coating.

Humectant
A food additive, which prevents food from drying out by counteracting the effect of a dry atmosphere.

Packaging gas
A food additive gas, which is introduced into a container before, during or after filling with food with the intention to protect the food, for example, from oxidation or spoilage.

Preservative
A food additive, which prolongs the shelf-life of a food by protecting against deterioration caused by microorganisms.

Propellant
A food additive gas, which expels a food from a container.

Raising agent
A food additive or a combination of food additives, which liberate(s) gas and thereby increase(s) the volume of a dough or batter.

Sequestrant
A food additive, which controls the availability of a cation.

Stabilizer
A food additive, which makes it possible to maintain a uniform dispersion of two or more components.

Sweetener
A food additive (other than a mono- or disaccharide sugar), which imparts a sweet taste to a food.

Thickener
A food additive, which increases the viscosity of a food.