Consumer Voice ::PFA

Food Safety

VoiceUnits
Food Safety
Food Standards

Food additives are those constituents of food which are added to either enhance the taste , looks or used for processing or preservation. They are natural or artificial colours, flavoring agents, antioxidants, anticaking agents, emulsifying and stabilizing agents and preservative in food. They are harmful because some of them are chemicals which should not be added to the food.

The health aspect of these additives must be investigated further on, and the use of them in the mean time, restricted as much as possible.

Colours

Also the extensive use of colours concern many consumers. The health aspect of additives, including colours does sometimes - but not always - some harm. The Codex list of Additives suggests that within given levels the use of a specified additive may not produce harmful effect by itself. It does not state that in combination with all of thousands of other compounds used in foodstuffs in different countries it will remain safe. It is for national authorities to determine which additives are compatible with the dietary pattern of its consumers. Safety is only one of the points for consideration before a national food authority. VOICE feels that the main issue for Codex list of additives is to provide a platform that can ensure the consumer the safe use of food additives, and ensure the consumer a safe end product.

Following conditions must be taken in consideration when approving additives from the list on a national basis:

(1)	Safety: Food additives themselves must not cause any potential health threat (toxicological, allergical or carcinogenic). Its effect in combination with our compounds present in a given food stuff also needs to be examined on a national basis.
(2)	Technological Necessity: The use of food additives must be caused by a real technological need. This is a well recognized "Doctrine of Technological Necessity " for a particular food item. Just because an additive is listed, it does not mean that it can be used indiscriminately in all kinds of foods. The test of technological necessity will have to be applied to determine if it should be allowed at all in a given food item.
(3)	Must not mislead Consumers: The use of an additive must not tend to mislead the consumers. For the time being, only health aspects have been taken into consideration. The fact whether it may mislead consumers will depend on the nature of the food item, national context, dietary pattern, educational level of consumers and culture. It requires to be seen in the national context as to whether its presence will mislead consumers. This judgment will have to be made on for a particular product in the national context

Next>>