Food additives are synthetic or natural substances added to food to improve the quality of food color, aroma and taste, as well as to meet the needs of anti-corrosion and processing technology. There are 23 categories and more than 2000 varieties of food additives in China, including acidity regulator, anti caking agent, defoamer, antioxidant, bleach, bulking agent, colorant, color protection agent, enzyme preparation, flavor enhancer, nutritional enhancer, preservative, sweetener, thickener, flavor, etc.

The definitions of food additives vary all over the world. The Joint Committee on food regulations of the food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (who) defines food additives as: food additives are non nutritional substances that are consciously added to food in small quantities to improve the appearance, flavor, organizational structure or storage properties of food. According to this definition, food fortifiers for the purpose of enhancing food nutrients should not be included in the scope of food additives. Food additives are non nutritive substances consciously added to food in small amounts to improve the appearance, flavor, organizational structure or storage properties of food. In accordance with Article 54 of the food hygiene law of the people's Republic of China, Article 28 of the measures for the administration of food additives, Article 2 of the measures for the administration of food nutrition fortifiers and Article 99 of the food safety law of the people's Republic of China, China defines food additives as: food additives, which refer to improving food quality, color, aroma and taste, as well as anti-corrosion Synthetic or natural substances added to food for preservation and processing.