When it comes to "food additives," there's a strong aversion, almost a reflexive disdain, as the term brings to mind a negative connotation. The constant stream of negative reports about food additives keeps tapping into the public's sensitive nerves. More and more people are advocating for "pollution-free" and "0 additives" foods. So, are food additives angels or devils? What would food be like without them?

Let's all take a look at the phenomenon after food without additives:

Ice cream without "thickeners" and "emulsifiers" would be as hard as lollipops.

Unrefined cooking oil can significantly reduce its shelf life without "antioxidants," resulting in a rancid taste in the oil you consume.

If your favorite potato chips didn't have nitrogen, you'd be getting a bag of chip crumbs.

Supermarkets should no longer see ready-to-eat meat products, such as ham, sausages, canned meats, etc.

Without "beverage stabilizers," the drinks you love in your fridge wouldn't exist anymore.

What Does Food Look Like with Food Additives?

In reality, without "food additives," almost all processed foods would not exist.

An online survey about "whether to ban bleaching agents in flour" shows that over 90% of participants support the ban, indicating that the public still harbors deep aversion to it. In fact, we have many misconceptions about "additives":

Myth #1: Foods without additives are healthier

Some retailers use marketing concepts like "zero additives" and "no preservatives" to cater to consumer psychology. In reality, many processed foods may spoil or become contaminated before they even leave the factory without preservatives, and could even produce toxins.

For consumers, the safety of additives ultimately depends on the dosage. As long as they meet the standards, the safety of food additives is guaranteed.

Someone might ask, "Sure, a particular food additive might be added in the regulated amount, but when we consume so many foods in a day, do they accumulate to exceed the limit?"

In fact, the "Food Additives Use Standards" established by the Food Safety Department have already accounted for lifelong, daily, and excessive intake scenarios. Unless the amount is so great that you consume it as if it were food, it is unlikely to threaten health.

Myth Two: "Illegal additives" equals "food additives"

The "Sudan Red 1 Incident," the "Bleaching Powder Incident," and the "Lean Meat Powder Incident" that occurred in the past have all had severe negative impacts on society, leading many to mistakenly believe that food additives are the main culprits behind health issues. In fact, these are due to illegal additives that are strictly prohibited by the state, and have no relation to the normal food additives approved by the country.

There are over 2,000 approved food additives in our country, and as long as they are used according to standards, there's no need to worry about health issues. Food additives and illegal additives are two entirely different concepts.

Myth Three: Purely natural is better than chemically synthesized.

Nowadays, people are all focused on health and wellness, and as soon as they hear something is relatively natural, they unconsciously slap a "healthy" label on it.

In fact, China's regulations stipulate that both natural and synthetic food additives must undergo a "risk assessment" by relevant authorities. As long as they pass this assessment and are approved for use according to standards, there is little difference in safety between natural and chemically synthesized additives. Yiyang's food additives are produced strictly within the national规定的 scope, posing no harm to the human body.