It has been a controversial issue that whether food additives are safe to eat or not. Recently, the newest research findings of four kinds of controversial food additives have been published. Each kind of these food additives has its own potential danger.

Artificial pigment is widely used in the production of fruit syrup, soda water, mixed liquor and many other kinds of food. According to the scientific study in Britain, the intake of artificial pigment can worsen the symptoms of the hyperactivity of the kids. In order to help the kids keep healthy, many governments in various countries have asked the food manufacturers to stop using artificial pigment in the food production. People, especially the kids, should avoid eating excessive artificial pigment contained in food.

High fructose corn syrup, made from corn, is used in the production of both sugars and carbonated beverage. Many people think that the intake of high fructose corn syrup can increase the risk of getting type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, there are not enough research findings to prove that the intake of high fructose corn syrup can seriously threaten the human health. In the strict sense, high fructose corn syrup can not be regarded as food additive, as it just belongs to sugar with sweet taste and water retention property. As high fructose corn syrup can not make people feel full, people usually drink lots of the drinks containing it, which can further result in obesity.

The danger of benzoate is also rather controversial. It is said that and vitamin C will interact with each other to produce a kind of carcinogenic substance called “benzene” when they are both contained in the same beverage at the same time. But this opinion is not absolutely agreed by the chemical experts. Sodium benzoate can conduct metabolism by itself inside the human body and is expelled from the human body through pee. In fact, the amount of benzene absorbed by breathing is much more than that absorbed by drinking soft drinks. Things like cigarettes, car exhaust and washing powder all contain benzene. The metabolism of sodium benzoate is mainly conducted in the liver. Therefore, some people whose liver functions are not quite good should reduce the intake of soft drinks.

Sodium nitrite is widely used in the process of meat processing. Some people think that the excessive intake of sodium nitrite will lead to gastric cancer. The usage of sodium nitrite in the meat processing has been strictly controlled. For example, only 0.15 grams of sodium nitrite can be added in every 1000 grams of meat. The intake of sodium nitrite can be reduced by eating little processed meat.

In order to keep healthy and avoid worrying about the danger of food additives, people should eat more natural and fresh foods with less food additives.