--- title: "How Scary Are These Common Additives?" url: "https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/how-scary-are-these-common-additives/" description: "Advancements in food technology mean food additives have become common features of the foods we eat every day. But for some people, the ingredient list on…" site: Dietetically Speaking published: 2026-10-08 updated: 2026-10-08 --- [Disordered Eating](https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/category/disordered_eating/) [Food Freedom](https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/category/food_freedom/) [Nutrition](https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/category/nutrition/) # How Scary Are These Common Additives? 8th October 2026 11 min read *This article was written by Holly Tritschler (Registered Dietitian) and was reviewed by Maeve Hanan (Disordered Eating Specialist Dietitian & Founder of Dietetically Speaking).* --- Advancements in food technology mean food additives have become common features of the foods we eat every day. But for some people, the ingredient list on the back of the packet can feel scarier than the food itself. Increasingly emotive rhetoric around ultra-processed foods can contribute to fear around ‘chemicals’, E-numbers, emulsifiers, preservatives and artificial sweeteners. But, like many nutrition topics, the answer to ‘are additives bad for our health?’ is much more nuanced than the headlines may have you believe. An ingredient being unfamiliar, synthetic or having an E-number doesn’t tell us that it is unsafe, just as products made from ‘natural’ ingredients don’t automatically mean they are healthy. This article aims to unpack the complex conversation around food additives. We’ll explore what additives actually do, how their safety is assessed, and how we can interpret the evidence without fear-mongering. ## What Actually Are Food Additives? > Food additives are substances added to food for a specific technological purpose, such as improving its taste or appearance, maintaining its quality, or helping to keep it fresh and prevent spoilage (1). Rather than simply being there to make food ‘less healthy’, they serve a range of functions and are subject to safety assessment and regulation. Some of their functions include preventing spoilage, maintaining texture, preventing separation, enhancing flavour, improving stability and, in some cases, adding nutrients (2). There are several regulatory and scientific bodies responsible for evaluating the safety of food additives. Food additives undergo safety assessments before they are authorised for use, with potential harmful effects considered as part of this process (3). > In the UK, the Food Standards Agency is responsible for regulating food additives, alongside international bodies such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which conducts scientific evaluations of their potential health effects (2, 4). ## E-numbers The term ‘E-numbers’ is often associated with ‘unhealthy food’ that should be avoided at all costs. > But E-numbers are essentially just a system used to identify food additives that have been authorised for use (3). An E-number can actually make an ingredient look more frightening than its familiar name. For example, E300 may sound industrial, but it is simply ascorbic acid, otherwise known as vitamin C (5). The Food Standards Agency explicitly notes that many additives are based on naturally occurring substances but are produced in laboratories to ensure consistency and scale (6). > An E-number doesn’t inherently mean that something is harmful. Instead, it identifies a food additive that has been authorised for use following a safety assessment and, when present in a food, is required to be listed on the ingredients label (6). ## Preservatives > Preservatives help to slow the growth of microorganisms and prevent food spoilage (1). By helping to control microbial growth, they can contribute to food safety and keep foods safe for longer. They also extend the shelf life of foods, which can help to reduce food waste. With around one-third of all food produced globally estimated to be lost or wasted, even small changes that help food last longer can have a role to play in reducing waste (7). So why is there so much fear surrounding preservatives? Much of the discourse stems from concerns about nitrates and nitrites, which are commonly used in the preservation of processed meats such as bacon and ham, and their potential links to cancer risk. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is sufficient evidence that consuming processed meat can cause cancer in humans. Nitrates and nitrites (along with other chemicals found in processed red meat) can damage the cells in the bowel that over time increases cancer risk (8). It’s important to clarify that the IARC system measures the strength of the evidence, not the level of risk or how much needs to be consumed in order to increase the risk. For example, both tobacco and processed meat fall into Group 1, but smoking carries a far higher risk than eating processed meat. Whilst the evidence linking processed meat consumption with cancer is strong, generalising this to all preservatives is inaccurate and can contribute to sensationalist claims that aren’t supported by the wider scientific evidence. > Most food preservatives are considered safe at their permitted levels of use, which are set with large safety margins. Nitrates and nitrites used in cured meats may contribute to cancer risk, particularly with regular consumption, but this doesn’t mean that other preservatives found across the average diet are inherently harmful. ## Emulsifiers > Emulsifiers help liquids bind together to form a stable mixture called an emulsion (9). They are used in a range of foods, including many breads, spreads, chocolate and nut butters. Many are naturally derived, such as lecithins, which are commonly found in soybeans, seeds and eggs. Whilst many people associate emulsifiers with synthetic chemicals, most of us use them in everyday cooking without even thinking about it. Eggs, which are rich in lecithins, can help bind ingredients together when making baked goods. Similarly, mustard can help keep oil and water mixed in salad dressings and sauces (10). But do emulsifiers have negative impacts on health? Overall, scientific evidence suggests that authorised emulsifiers are safe when consumed at permitted levels (10). However, some preliminary research has found associations between higher intakes of certain emulsifiers (such as Polysorbate-80 and carboxymethylcellulose) and changes to the gut microbiome. Much of this research is still emerging, and it is not yet clear what these changes mean for long-term health. It’s also important to distinguish between high-quality human studies and research conducted in vitro (in a laboratory) or in animals, as findings from these settings cannot always be directly translated to human health outcomes (11). There is some early research suggesting that people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be more susceptible to the effects of certain emulsifiers (12). However, this area of research is still in its infancy, with studies often involving small numbers of participants. More research is needed to understand whether these findings translate into meaningful health outcomes, and whether they are relevant to the wider population. > Whilst there are some potential concerns around emulsifier intake, there is currently a lack of robust evidence to support avoiding emulsifiers altogether at the levels typically consumed as part of the average diet (13). ## Food Colourings Most people would associate food colourings with confectionery and sweets, where they are used to make foods visually more appealing. But beyond this, colourings are often used to restore colour lost during processing, make the appearance of products more consistent or give foods their expected appearance (1). Colour influences how we perceive the quality of a product. For example, a tomato soup that is light brown in colour is unlikely to be as appealing as a bright red soup, which is more closely associated with how we expect tomato soup to look. Food colourings may be natural or synthetic, and the Food Standards Agency tightly controls their use and how they are labelled. A small number of food colours have been found to have a potential link with hyperactivity in some children, but these colours must carry a warning about this on the packaging (2). As a result, many manufacturers have moved towards alternative colours, meaning these particular colourings are less commonly used in food products today. ## “Natural” Doesn’t Always Mean Safer Trends on social media often suggest that you should be able to recognise the names of all the ingredients on a packet. > But just because you recognise all the ingredients, or they sound familiar and ‘natural’, doesn’t automatically mean the product is better for you. All food is fundamentally made up of chemicals. Sodium chloride might sound like something used in a school experiment, but it is simply the chemical name for salt (6). Beta-carotene naturally occurs in fruit and vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes, giving them their distinctive orange colour (14). The same compound can also be added to foods such as some breakfast cereals and plant-based milk alternatives, where it can provide a source of provitamin A (15). Many additives are based on naturally occurring substances but are produced in laboratories at scale to ensure consistency and availability (6). Where the substance is chemically identical, it is fundamentally the same compound as that found naturally in foods such as fruit and vegetables. Some additives can actually be beneficial to health, yet simply labelling something as an ‘additive’ can lead to it being perceived as dangerous. Vitamins and minerals are added to some plant-based products to fortify them and help provide a more complete nutritional profile. However, organic plant-based alternatives cannot contain added vitamins and minerals, despite the perception that ‘organic’ automatically means healthier. If someone following a plant-based diet relied exclusively on unfortified organic dairy alternatives, for example, they could be at greater risk of nutrient deficiencies such as iodine or calcium. ## When Fear Of Additives Becomes A Problem Wanting to follow a holistically balanced diet with a variety of whole foods is one thing, but obsessively checking ingredient lists and avoiding all additives is quite another. Fear of additive consumption and strictly buying only ‘natural’ products is often a manifestations of rigid food rules. Indeed, studies have shown a clear link between fear of additives and the presence of orthorexia, a condition characterised by an unhealthy obsession with eating only ‘healthy’ goods, which can impact physical and mental wellbeing (16). Food should not be a source of fear. Food has the capacity to bring connection, joy, nourishment or sometimes to simply fuel for a busy day, and allowing a variety of types of foods in the diet is key for balance. If you are finding that additive consumption is causing you anxiety, then you certainly aren’t alone. > Avoiding additives may seem like “healthy eating” but can become increasingly restrictive when foods are judged by individual ingredients rather than the bigger picture. Avoiding these types of foods in the name of health may even be a more socially acceptable way to control your intake, which can really damage your relationship with food. ## Conclusion > Let’s not let the ingredient list become the scariest part of our food. Whilst additives may not be what we traditionally think of as ‘health foods’, they have specific and often important technological purposes that have helped drive innovation within the food industry. There are legitimate areas of ongoing research, and some additives have specific restrictions and warnings. However, much of the research in these areas is still emerging, with some evidence coming from early-stage studies that cannot yet tell us what the findings mean for human health. Scientific uncertainty doesn’t justify fear-mongering or assuming the worst. > Rather than zooming in and fixating on ingredient lists and additives, it can be much more helpful to zoom out and look at overall wellbeing. This means focusing on balance and variety in our diets, including a range of plant foods, moving our bodies regularly, getting enough sleep, socialising with people we care about, prioritising our mental health and, importantly, our relationship with food. It’s okay to be curious about evolving research, but fear of additives shouldn’t unnecessarily restrict your diet or make eating more stressful. Avoiding or unfollowing social media accounts that demonise foods and encourage obsessive label reading could be a good place to start. Nuanced conversations don’t always make the headlines or create TikTok trends, but sensationalist and exaggerated claims often do. ## References 1. The Food Safety Institute (2025) *Understanding Food Additives: Definitions and Applications*. Available at: [https://foodsafety.institute/food-fundamentals-chemistry/understanding-food-additives-definitions-applications/#color-additives](https://foodsafety.institute/food-fundamentals-chemistry/understanding-food-additives-definitions-applications/#color-additives) 2. Food Standards Agency (2018) *Food Additives*. Available from: [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-additives/food-additives](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-additives/food-additives) 3. World Health Organization (2023) *Food Additives*. Available from: [https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-additives](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-additives) 4. World Health Organization (2026) *Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)*. Available from: [https://www.who.int/groups/joint-fao-who-expert-committee-on-food-additives-(jecfa)/about](https://www.who.int/groups/joint-fao-who-expert-committee-on-food-additives-(jecfa%29/about) 5. Food Standards Agency (2026) *Approved additives and E numbers*. Available from: [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approved-additives-and-e-numbers/approved-additives-and-e-numbers](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approved-additives-and-e-numbers/approved-additives-and-e-numbers) 6. Food Standards Agency (2026) *Food Fact Check: What are food additives and are they safe?* Available from: [https://food.blog.gov.uk/2026/07/09/food-fact-check-what-are-food-additives-and-are-they-safe/](https://food.blog.gov.uk/2026/07/09/food-fact-check-what-are-food-additives-and-are-they-safe/) 7. Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations (2011) *Global Food Losses and Food Waste*. Available from: [https://www.fao.org/4/mb060e/mb060e.pdf](https://www.fao.org/4/mb060e/mb060e.pdf) 8. Cancer Research UK (2024) *Bacon, sandwich ham and salami: How does processed and red meat cause cancer and how much matters?* Available from: [https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/08/01/bacon-ham-hot-dogs-salami-how-does-processed-meat-cause-cancer-and-how-much-matters/?_gl=1\*1dh2kp3\*_ga\*NzIwNDEyOTkzLjE3ODk0OTg0NTc.\*_ga_58736Z2GNN\*czE3ODk4MzY2MzIkbzIkZzAkdDE3ODk4MzY2MzIkajYwJGwwJGgw\*_gcl_au\*NDIwMDcyMzUzLjE3ODk0OTg1MTA](https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/08/01/bacon-ham-hot-dogs-salami-how-does-processed-meat-cause-cancer-and-how-much-matters/?_gl=1*1dh2kp3*_ga*NzIwNDEyOTkzLjE3ODk0OTg0NTc.*_ga_58736Z2GNN*czE3ODk4MzY2MzIkbzIkZzAkdDE3ODk4MzY2MzIkajYwJGwwJGgw*_gcl_au*NDIwMDcyMzUzLjE3ODk0OTg1MTA). 9. Haschek and Rousseaux (2023) Handbook of Toxicologic Pathology, Elsevier. Available at: [https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/food-emulsifier#definition](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/food-emulsifier#definition) 10. Low (2022) ‘Emulsifiers: should we be avoiding them?’, BBC Food. Available at: [https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/emulsifiers](https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/emulsifiers) 11. Liu et al (2021) ‘Food-grade carrageenans and their implications in health and disease’, *Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf*; 20(4): 3918-3936. Available from: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34146449/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34146449/) 12. Bancil et al (2020) ‘Food Additive Emulsifiers and Their Impact on Gut Microbiome, Permeability, and Inflammation: Mechanistic Insights in Inflammatory Bowel Disease’, *Journal of Chrohn’s and Colitis*, 15(6). Available at: [https://doi.org/10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa254](https://doi.org/10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa254) 13. Cox et al (2021) ‘Food additive emulsifiers: a review of their role in foods, legislation and classifications, presence in food supply, dietary exposure, and safety assessment’, Nutrition Reviews, 79(6). Available at: [https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuaa038](https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuaa038) 14. Meijer et al (2026) ‘From fiction to facts: on the safety, rules, perception, and role of food additives’, *Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition*; 66(28): 5765-5790. Available from: [https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2669055](https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2026.2669055) 15. Black Forest Ingredients And Solutions (2024) *Beta-Carotene: Production, Origin and Use in the Food Industry*. Available from: [https://www.bfias.eu/blog/beta-carotene-production-origin-and-use-in-the-food-industry](https://www.bfias.eu/blog/beta-carotene-production-origin-and-use-in-the-food-industry) 16. Ambwani et al (2019) ‘Is #cleaneating a healthy or harmful dietary strategy? Perceptions of clean eating and associations with disordered eating among young adults’, Journal of Eating Disorders; 7:(17). Available from: [https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-019-0246-2](https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-019-0246-2) [food labels](https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/tag/food-labels/) [nutrition](https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/tag/nutrition/) [ultra-processed food](https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/tag/ultra-processed-food/) ## First Steps to Food Freedom Get your free guide when you sign up to our newsletter. [Get the free guide](https://mailchi.mp/dieteticallyspeaking/sign-up) ## Talk it through with a dietitian A free, no-obligation 15-minute discovery call. 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