Food additive

With the advent of ultra-processed foods in the late 20th century, many additives having both natural and artificial origin were introduced.

[citation needed] The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists these items as GRAS;[3] they are listed under both their Chemical Abstracts Service number and FDA regulation under the United States Code of Federal Regulations.

For example, boric acid was widely used as a food preservative from the 1870s to the 1920s,[10][11] but was banned after World War I due to its toxicity, as demonstrated in animal and human studies.

During World War II, the urgent need for cheap, available food preservatives led to boric acid being used again, but it was finally banned in the 1950s.

[13] Widespread public outcry in the United States, partly communicated to Congress by postage-paid postcards supplied in the packaging of sweetened soft drinks, led to the retention of saccharin, despite its violation of the Delaney clause.

Due to the application of the Delaney clause, it may not be added to foods, even though it occurs naturally in sassafras and sweet basil.

[21] In 2012, the EFSA proposed the tier approach to evaluate the potential toxicity of food additives.

[22] Added ingredients, such as air, bacteria, fungi, and yeast, also contribute manufacturing and flavor qualities, and reduce spoilage.

[1][8] The FDA evaluates the chemical composition of the ingredient, the quantities that would be typically consumed, acute and chronic health impacts, and other safety factors.