Packaging gases
Antioxidant
Flavor enhancer
Acid
Acidity regulator
Emulsifier
Emulsifying salt(1)
Bulking agent
Propellant
Gelling agent
Leavening agent
Thickener
Preservative
Contrast enhancers
Foaming agent
Anti-foaming agent
Metal chelating agent
Modified starch (2)
Humectant
Polishing agent
Colorant
Hardener
Stabilizer
Carriers
Sweetener
Anti-caking agent
Flour treatment agent

1. Sweeteners: Substances used in table-top sweeteners or in foods to impart a sweet taste;

2. Colorants: Substances that impart color to foods or restore their color, consisting of natural components of foods and natural sources not typically consumed as food, and which are generally not used as a characteristic component of the food; and also:

Preparations produced by the selective extraction of pigments, ensuring they do not contain other nutritional or aromatic components derived from foodstuffs or other edible natural sources through physical and/or chemical extraction;

3. Preservatives: Substances that extend the shelf life of foods by protecting them against spoilage caused by microorganisms and/or the growth of pathogenic microorganisms;

4. Antioxidants: Substances that help extend the shelf life of foods by protecting them against spoilage caused by oxidation, such as rancidity and discoloration;

5. Carriers: Food additives or flavorings, food enzymes, nutrients, and/or other substances added to foods for nutritional or physiological purposes; substances that facilitate the processing, application, and use of these substances by dissolving, diluting, dispersing, or physically modifying them without altering their technological functions or causing any technological interaction between them;

6. Acids: Substances that increase acidity and/or impart a sour taste to food;

7. Acidity regulators: Substances that alter or control the acidity or alkalinity of foods;

8. Anti-caking agents: Substances that reduce the tendency of food particles to stick together;

9. Anti-foaming agents: Substances that reduce or prevent foaming;

10. Bulking agents: Substances that increase the volume of foods without significantly increasing their energy content;

11. Emulsifiers: Substances that enable two or more immiscible phases, such as oil and water, to form a homogeneous mixture in a food product, or that ensure the stability of the resulting homogeneous mixture;

12. Emulsifying salts: Substances that disperse the proteins in cheese, thereby ensuring the homogeneous distribution of fat and other components;

13. Firming agents: Substances that make the texture of fruits and vegetables firm or crisp, or that interact with gelling agents to promote or enhance gel formation;

14. Flavor enhancers: Substances that enhance the existing taste and/or aroma of food;

15. Foaming agents: Substances that ensure the homogeneous distribution of the gas phase in liquid or solid foods;

16. Gelling agents: Substances that create a different texture in food through gel formation;

17. Glazing agents: Substances—including lubricants and anti-caking agents—that, when applied to the outer surface of food, impart a glossy appearance or provide a protective coating;

18. Humectants: Substances that prevent food products from drying out in low-humidity environments or facilitate the dissolution of powdered foods in liquid media;

19. Modified starches: Substances obtained by subjecting edible starches—which may have been subjected to physical or enzymatic treatment and to thinning or bleaching with acid or alkali—to one or more chemical processes;

20. Packaging gases: Gases other than air introduced into the container before, during, or after the food product is placed in the container;

21. Propellants: Gases other than air that cause the food to be expelled from the container;

22. Leavening agents: Substances or mixtures of substances that increase the volume of dough or egg-based batter by producing gas;

23. Metal chelating agents: Substances that form chemical complexes with metal ions;

24. Stabilizers: Substances that help maintain the physicochemical properties of foods; ensure the continued homogeneous distribution of two or more immiscible phases within a food; preserve or enhance the natural color of foods; facilitate the binding of food particles by forming cross-links between proteins; and increase the binding capacity of foods;

25. Thickeners: Substances that thicken food;

26. Flour additives: Substances other than emulsifiers added to flour or dough to improve baking quality

27. Contrast enhancers: Substances that, when applied to the outer surface of fruits and vegetables in specific areas following a depigmentation process (e.g., laser treatment), help distinguish these areas from the rest by revealing a color resulting from their interaction with certain components of the epidermis

No, the usage amount of certain additives is defined as the amount required by Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). In this case, the "quantity used" column (maximum dose) will contain the notation "QUANTUM SATIS (QS)" (indicating that no maximum level is specified). However, while an additive may be permitted at the QS maximum level in a specific food product, the same additive may be subject to a quantity limit in a different food product.

Undefined amount (Quantum Satis – QS): No numerical maximum amount has been specified for the use of additives, and these substances;

1) In accordance with good manufacturing practices,

2) In an amount that does not exceed the amount necessary to achieve the intended purpose,

3) It states that it must be used in a way that does not mislead the consumer.

Amounts of food additives used:

The amount of a food additive used is determined as the minimum amount necessary to achieve the desired effect.

When determining the amount of a food additive to be used;

1) Acceptable daily intake levels established for the food additive, or an equivalent assessment, and the likely daily intake levels of this additive from all sources,

2) If a food additive is used in foods consumed by specific consumer groups, the amounts of that additive that these consumer groups are likely to consume daily,

is taken into account.

Where appropriate, no maximum numerical value is established for the food additive. In such cases, the food additive is used in accordance with the Quantum Satis principle.

The toxicity of an additive—including its potential to cause cancer, birth defects, or adverse effects on the nervous system or other organs—is investigated through experiments on laboratory animals. These studies include both short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) tests. The tests conducted are highly diverse and include fetal tests, neurotoxicity tests, and studies that track at least two generations. To determine the level at which no adverse effects are observed (NOAEL: no observed adverse effect level) for long-term effects other than cancer, test animals are exposed to different doses. This level is multiplied by a safety factor (100) to determine the acceptable daily intake (ADI). If no human data is available, an additional x10 factor may be applied to account for individual sensitivity differences (total factor 1000). The ADI value is an estimate of the amount of the additive that an individual can consume throughout their lifetime without any health risk, based on body weight.

The adverse health effects of any chemical are directly related to the amount used. For example, the adverse effects a chemical may cause in an individual increase with dose. However, given that, in theory, a single molecule of a carcinogen can cause a tumor, it stands to reason that an increase in dose would also increase this likelihood.

However, this does not necessarily mean that exceeding the ADI values will inevitably lead to adverse health effects. This is because the range of uncertainty factors used in calculating this value is quite broad (100–1,000). For some additives, no ADI value has been established because no adverse effects have been observed.

Under today’s economic and social conditions, factors such as the growing number of people working outside the home, changing dietary habits, and limited time for meal preparation are driving people toward the consumption of ready-to-eat foods or foods that are easier to prepare. In this context, extending the shelf life of food—which can also be defined as its durability—and ensuring it retains its initial freshness, nutritional value, appearance, color, smell, and aroma have become expected characteristics of such food. Consequently, the use of food additives—one of the methods for preserving and enhancing food—has become technologically necessary. There are numerous reasons for using food additives. The primary ones are as follows.

• To preserve the nutritional value of food,
• To produce specialized foods for people with specific dietary needs,
• To increase the durability of food and extend its shelf life,
• To improve the textural properties of food.
• To enhance or preserve the flavor and color of food.
• To prevent undesirable reactions such as rancidity (oxidation), prevent flavor loss, and preserve nutrients.
• Often as a technological necessity during food processing,
• To prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in food.
• They are used to provide food variety.

An additive assigned an E number has been thoroughly scientifically evaluated by the competent authorities and proven to be absolutely safe for human consumption before being authorized for use. The E number indicates that the substance has been approved and deemed safe. JECFA, EFSA, and the FDA—recognized as authoritative bodies through the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO)—are among the leading organizations granting these approvals. Therefore, there is no need to worry about the adverse health effects of food additives used within permitted limits in approved foods. JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives), EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), and the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) determine the maximum permissible levels of food additives by evaluating years of toxicological studies to establish the limits within which these additives may be present in food products. In Europe, standards known as the Codex Alimentarius are being developed. In our country, regulations are established by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock based on European Union regulations.

After World War II, work began in Europe on developing a set of standards known as the Codex Alimentarius. The goal was to establish international terminology and rules to facilitate trade between countries. The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (JECFA), a joint committee of the WHO and FAO, evaluates all toxicological studies to determine maximum use levels and assess whether ADI values are safe. Food additives are permitted only after limits are established that ensure their presence in products does not pose a health risk to humans. In our country, our own legislation is being prepared based on European Union standards. In Turkey, as in many other countries, such toxicological studies are not conducted, and international standards are applied for usage levels and product definitions. The Institutes and Laboratories under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock also examine the additive contents of products at various intervals.

The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of an additive (expressed in mg/kg) or ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake): The acceptable daily intake.

It is the maximum amount of an additive that may be present in food.

The actual levels in the products, however, must be lower than the maximum dose; the reasons for this can be explained as follows:

• Multiple food additives that can produce the same effect may be permitted (e.g., 32 preservatives, 12 sweeteners, 15 antioxidants, and 43 colorants). Therefore, when similar additives are used together to create a synergistic effect (an effect stronger than the sum of their individual effects), they are actually used in smaller quantities.
• Cost is a significant factor for manufacturers when using food additives.
• Manufacturers strive to achieve maximum technological effectiveness.

However, a key question that has recently emerged in media reports is whether some manufacturers are using FOOD-GRADE additives. This is because our regulations, just like international standards, clearly define the purity criteria and required characteristics of FOOD-GRADE additives. Generally, food additives are not produced in our country and are imported subject to the approval and control of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock. Therefore, in accordance with import regulations, importing companies are required to have the necessary analyses conducted when bringing these products into the country and must also submit the manufacturers’ certificates. In fact, all imported food products are subject to inspection and analysis by the relevant control authorities of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock during the actual import process.

In risk management, it is necessary to take non-technical factors into account in addition to scientific and economic information. The factors influencing consumers’ perception of risks differ from those in traditional risk assessment. For example, certain factors take on great importance, such as whether children are affected, the public’s familiarity with the existing hazard, and the environmental impacts… It is necessary to balance scientific and social factors, and risks must be communicated to the public. The public’s views on food additives are generally misleading. People often prefer natural foods over those containing chemical additives and preservatives. In reality, these same individuals state that they want food products that are more nutritious, more convenient, fresh, and safe. However, these qualities also require food products to contain additives. Misleading information about food additives often reaches people through certain media and popular press outlets, as well as via the Internet, as has been the case worldwide in recent years. This leads to confusion regarding the functions and sources of these compounds. These fears stem from the public’s lack of understanding of toxicology, the relationship between dosage and the body’s ability to metabolize substances, and the fact that people do not understand how their bodies detoxify many of the food components they are exposed to.

Food additives and food enzymes are listed using their specific names or E numbers, followed by the relevant functional class designation. If an ingredient falls into more than one functional class, the functional class designation corresponding to the ingredient’s primary function in the food in question is specified. If the name of the food additive is listed on the food label, it is not mandatory to include the E number.

a) Monosaccharides, disaccharides, or oligosaccharides, and foods containing these substances used for their sweetening properties,
b) In the production of compound foods; foods in dried or concentrated form, including flavorings, used for their aromatic, flavor-enhancing, or nutritional properties, as well as for their secondary coloring effects,
c) Substances used in wrapping or coating materials that are not intended to be consumed with the food and are not part of the food,
d) Substances containing pectin and derivatives obtained from dried apple pomace or the peel of citrus fruits or quinces, or a mixture thereof, following dilute acid treatment and partial neutralization with sodium and potassium salts (liquid pectin),
d) Gum bases,
e) White or yellow dextrin, roasted or dextrinated starch, starch modified by acid or alkali treatment, bleached starch, physically modified starch, and starch treated with amylolytic enzymes,
f) Ammonium chloride,
g) Blood plasma, edible gelatin, protein hydrolysates and their salts, milk protein, and gluten,
ğ) Amino acids and their salts, excluding glutamic acid, glycine, cysteine, cystine, and their salts that do not serve a technological function,
h) Caseinates and casein,
ı) Inulin.

The regulation states that, provided they are not used as food additives;

a) Processing aids,
b) Substances used to protect plants and plant products under plant health legislation,
c) Substances added to foods as nutrients,
d) Substances used in the treatment of waters covered by the Regulation on Water for Human Consumption, published in the Official Gazette dated February 17, 2005, and numbered 25730,
d) Does not include food flavorings covered by the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Flavorings and Food Components with Flavoring Properties, published in the Official Gazette dated December 29, 2011, and numbered 28157 (third supplementary issue).

It also does not include food enzymes.

A food additive that does not comply with the provisions of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation, or a food product containing such an additive, may not be placed on the market.

A food additive derived from pigs; it may not be used in foods, food additives, food enzymes, or food flavorings.