Controversies in Food and Nutrition

Foods often contain a host of different additives. Some are considered safe. Others are believed to trigger undesirable reactions in some people. Open your kitchen cabinets. Most of the items inside probably contain some food additives. For example, look at the list of ingredients on the label of a can of chicken noodle soup: Chicken broth, enriched penne pasta (semolina, egg whites, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), carrots, celery, salt, monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed corn and soy protein, chicken fat, onion powder, autolyzed yeast extract, parsley, natural flavor.
All these products are contained in one 19-ounce can. Some of them—such as chicken broth, carrots, celery, chicken fat, onion powder, and parsley—are straightforward, but why add monosodium glutamate or hydrolyzed corn and soy protein? According to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, food additives—substances that are usually not eaten alone but are added to other foods—play an important role in enhancing the quality of our food supply. Additives can help keep food wholesome and appealing while it is being transported to markets thousands of miles from where it was grown or manufactured. And, additives that enhance taste, texture, consistency or color can also improve the nutritional value and physical appeal of foods.