Snacks

Additives are a type of ingredient which is added to food for specific purposes. For example, to enhance the texture or appearance of food. Or to act as a preservative by preventing the growth of microorganisms.

Additives used in modern food processing all have a crucial role to play.

Without additives, many everyday and popular foods would cease to exist. Some foods would suffer from short shelf life, leading to significant wastage, while other foods might suffer from defects in appearance, texture, or taste.

The savory snack sector is no exception use, and require additives in some products.

Types of additives used in Snacks

Emulsifiers and stabilizers

These are mainly plant-derived gels and gums, which bind ingredients together, giving some snacks and snack ingredients specific textural properties.

Colors

The use of colors is sometimes to restore or improve the appearance of snacks. There are many colors, such as annatto and carotenoids, which are derived from natural plant materials; the use of synthetic colors are scarce in snacks.

Acids and Flavor enhancers

Snacks sometimes use acids within their flavors. Many of these acids are derived from or else are identical to acids found naturally within foods. These include lactic acid (which is found usually in milk), citric acid (found in lemons), malic acid (found in apples), tartaric acid (found in grapes), and acetic acid (found in vinegar).
You may also see that flavor enhancers such as glutamates to use in snacks.

Preservatives and Antioxidants

These types of additives help to keep food fresh for longer by preventing the growth of microorganisms. Preservatives help to reduce wastage by protecting the product for longer and also the quality of the food. They also preserve the vitamins in foods from the harmful effects of oxidation.
Some antioxidants are vitamins themselves, such as L-ascorbic acid (otherwise known as vitamin C) or alpha-tocopherol (otherwise known as vitamin E).