Food additives are substances added to food to improve its preservation, taste, texture or appearance. Over the years, numerous food additives have been developed to guarantee food safety and stability.

The most direct way to identify all the food additives present in your meal is to carefully consult the product label, in particular the list of ingredients. In accordance with regulations, the manufacturer or producer is obliged to indicate in this list all the additives they have chosen to include in the product, whether they are of natural or synthetic origin. All colorants start with E1, preservatives are listed as E2, E3 for antioxidants and E6 for flavor enhancers. Today, some manufacturers no longer add the E code, but the name of the additive with its role in brackets. For example: carrageenan (thickener). Mobile applications such as Yuka or Open Food Facts can also help you understand the content of a product's ingredients, and in particular the additives that may be present.

For further information, we recommend that you consult :

- Agriculture.gouv : Everything you need to know about food additives
- ANSES - The latest on food additives