Ingredients and Additives
Ingredients and Additives
From salt and spices to food colorings and preservatives, an ingredient is any substance or product, including flavorings, food additives and food enzymes used in the manufacture or the preparation of a food and still present in the finished product, even if in altered form.
Food additives play an important role in today’s complex global food supply chain. They help maintain the qualities and characteristics of food that consumers demand, ensuring it remains safe, nutritious and appetizing in the process from “farm to fork.”
The use of additives is strictly regulated, and must be considered to have a proven utility, be safe for consumption and not misleading to the consumer.
Mérieux NutriSciences provides analyses for quantification of almost all ingredients and additives including colors, preservatives, flavor and product enhancers.
Commonly tested ingredients and additives include:
- Aminoacids (carnitine, choline, taurine, creatinine)
- Preservatives (sulfur dioxide, sorbic acid and benzoic acid, parabens, propionic acid)
- Antioxidants (BHT , BHA, gallates, resveratrol, isoflavones, phytosterols)
- Sweeteners (aspartame , saccharin, cyclamate)
- Dyes (natural – carotenoids, beta -carotene, lutein, curcumin , astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, artificial colorings)
- Acidulants (lactic, citric, tartaric)
- Other additives (phosphates, glutamates, propylene glycol, vanillin , alcohols, Pimaricin, natamycin, nucleotides)