I believe many people have heard the phrase “food additives are safe as long as they are used in accordance with the regulations”.

However, some food additives are not restricted at all, and are described in national standards as “used in moderation according to production needs”, which means that the competent authorities do not restrict the amount of food additives that can be used, and producers can use as much as they want. What does the phrase “use in accordance with production needs” mean?

Additives for which there is no prescribed use limit can be broadly categorized into two types:

One is additives that are so safe that they can be used freely without any problems, such as many emulsifiers and thickeners.

These additives are subject to process necessity and cost constraints, and national standards stipulate that the amount used in food should be minimized under the premise of achieving the desired effect. For example, thickeners guar gum, xanthan gum, pectin, carrageenan, etc., if the use of 5 g / kg has been able to achieve the desired effect, taking into account the cost, the producer will not add more.

Another category is unlikely to be used to produce health damage to the amount, that is, with a “self-limiting”.

Typical representatives are flavors and fragrances, adding a little is very fragrant, if you use more, the taste is unacceptable. Anyone who has ever cooked can easily understand that using too much of any seasoning not only does not make it taste better, but is also counterproductive, and this is especially true of flavors and fragrances for food.

Sweeteners such as aspartame, stevia glycosides, sweeteners, flavor enhancers such as nucleotides, monosodium glutamate, and so on, are all simply inedible when added in excess.

Acidity regulator is also impossible to use more, such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), do steamed bread, if you put too much, steamed bread yellow, astringent flavor.