Where do food additives come from?

The sources of food additives are:

Products of vegetable origin
- Thickening agents extracted from seeds, fruit and seaweed
- Colours isolated from seeds, fruits and vegetables
- Acidulates such as tartaric acid from fruit

Nature-identical products produced by synthesis or biosynthesis
- antioxidants such as ascorbic acid in fruit and tocopherol in vegetable oils colours such as carotenoids, the colouring agent in many fruits and vegetables.
- Acidulants such as citric acid present in citrus fruit

Products obtained by modifying natural substances
- Emulsifiers derived from edible oils and organic acids
- Thickening agents such as modified starches and modified cellulose
- Bulk sweeteners such as sorbitol and maltitol Man-made products such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
- Colours, such as indigotin and quinoline yellow
- Intense sweeteners such as saccharin.

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