Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or improve its taste and appearance. Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by
pickling (with
vinegar),
salting, as with
bacon, preserving
sweets or using
sulfur dioxide as in some
wines. With the advent of processed foods in the second half of the
20th century, many more additives have been introduced, of both natural and artificial origin.
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