Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance. To regulate these additives, and inform consumers, each additive is assigned a unique number, termed as "E numbers", which is used in Europe for all approved additives. There are natural and synthetic food additives that are used for a variety of purposes categorized in acidity regulators, anticaking agents, antifoaming agents, antioxidants, bulking agents, food coloring, color retention agents, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, humectants, preservatives, stabilizers, sweeteners, thickeners, etc.

Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance. To regulate these additives, and inform consumers, each additive is assigned a unique number, termed as "E numbers", which is used in Europe for all approved additives. There are natural and synthetic food additives that are used for a variety of purposes categorized in acidity regulators, anticaking agents, antifoaming agents, antioxidants, bulking agents, food coloring, color retention agents, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, humectants, preservatives, stabilizers, sweeteners, thickeners, etc.