This blog post compares the scientific facts about food additive safety with public misconceptions, examining the evidence we should trust.
The Need to Reconsider Food Additive Safety
Health, and specifically food-related topics, are currently the most popular subjects on television and in books. In an era where delicious food is readily available anytime, anywhere, and where the development of distribution networks allows fresh food to be purchased nationwide, one thing is puzzling: consumers are constantly anxious about what they eat. Visit any bookstore, and you’ll easily find books in the health bestseller section that liken food additives to toxic substances. In fact, substandard food has become a major national issue, even being called one of society’s four major evils alongside violence.
Food companies sometimes use this to market the removal of specific food additives as a selling point. According to a 2013 survey by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, general consumers and consumer groups identified food additives as the biggest threat to food safety. This contrasts with the US and Japan, where bacteria and viruses are seen as the primary threats, highlighting the uniquely high level of anxiety about food additives in Korea.
Ironically, however, few countries have food regulations as stringent as Korea’s. Thanks to high consumer expectations and rigorous monitoring by the internet and civic groups, some of the world’s strictest standards are enforced. Yet people seem to prefer news about ‘anxiety’ over news about ‘safety’. This is because content that stirs anxiety leaves a stronger impression in the mass media.
Misconceptions and Truths About Food Additives
Anxiety about food additives often stems primarily from the media and personal anecdotes. These anecdotes are highly personal, eliciting emotional reactions rather than scientific evidence. One notable example is Japanese author Abe Tsukasa’s book, ‘The Great Deception of Food Additives Created by Humans,’ which claimed, “People who make processed foods never eat the processed foods they make,” thereby fueling public anxiety. However, such stories are often based solely on personal experience and lack scientific backing.
The program ‘Food X-Files’ claimed about MSG, “It’s said to be harmless, but it’s not 100% safe,” presenting cases of headaches, indigestion, and thirst. Yet, such personal accounts often carry more persuasive power than scientific research, leading to public misunderstanding. Because they are concrete and vivid, personal accounts tend to feel more real to people. Scientific research, however, provides more reliable results because it compares numerous outcomes and calculates averages.
All substances are toxic
There is no substance in the world that is non-toxic. Most people assume natural substances are safe and chemically synthesized substances are dangerous, but the reality is different. Natural dyes can be stronger than artificial ones, and artificial flavors might be safer than natural ones. Yet many consumers place excessive trust in the word ‘natural’. For example, they tend to view natural fragrances extracted from tens of thousands of roses as precious, while believing artificial fragrances are harmful. However, this perception is significantly biased. In reality, artificially synthesized substances can be used in purified forms and managed more safely.
Even sugar and salt can be deadly if used excessively. Yet we consume them daily without perceiving them as dangerous. Similarly, all substances can be either poisonous or safe depending on the ‘quantity’. The difference between medicine and poison lies in the dose.
Management and Regulation of Food Additives
The safety of food additives is strictly managed through international standards. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) stipulates that food additives must be harmless to humans, non-accumulative in the body, and used within specified limits. Crucially, the usage levels of all food additives are strictly regulated. The ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) represents the amount that can be safely consumed per day per kilogram of body weight and is set at one-hundredth of the value calculated through animal testing. In other words, the actual amount of food additives we consume is extremely minimal.
Nevertheless, some experts argue that food additives can accumulate in the body and cause chronic toxicity. However, these claims are largely exaggerated. Food additives are designed not to accumulate in the body; they naturally break down and are excreted over time. Considering this, the claim that the food additives we consume routinely have a long-term detrimental effect on health lacks scientific basis.
Anxiety drives costs
Anxious consumers are easily swayed by food companies’ clever marketing tactics. The phrase “no additives” instills a sense of safety in consumers, but in many cases, it’s simply unnecessary information. For example, emphasizing “no added emulsifiers” in foods that don’t require them, or labeling yogurt made with liquid fructose instead of sugar as “no added sugar.” Ultimately, this anxiety falls on consumers, leading them to pay higher prices or face fewer choices.
Conclusion: A balanced perspective is needed
Anxiety about food additives often stems from exaggerated information and anecdotal experiences. Food additives that have undergone sufficient safety reviews and research do not warrant excessive worry. The prejudice that artificial ingredients are always harmful can lead us to draw incorrect conclusions. What matters is maintaining a balanced perspective based on scientifically verified information. What may truly threaten our health and safety is misinformation and excessive anxiety.
