What is the essence? Is it harmful to people?

The essence contained in food, also called edible essence, is a very common food additive. It is a mixture of natural spices or synthetic spices extracted from animals and plants, which can emit fragrance at room temperature. The purpose of using edible essence is to produce, change, maintain or improve the flavor of food.

Legal food additives, used within the limits prescribed by the state, can be considered as long-term consumption and will not cause harm to the health, while illegal use of food additives and excessive use of food additives are illegal and should be resolutely prohibited.

Common food additives

1, food pigment. Food pigments such as red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6 are common in fruit products and sports drinks, which can lead to ADHD in children.

2. High fructose corn syrup. This sweetener and preservative can be found in soft drinks, grains and condiments. Excessive consumption can lead to obesity and diabetes.

3. Sodium nitrite. This preservative exists in lunch meat, cured meat and fish, which can cause a variety of cancers.

4. Aspartame and saccharin. These calorie-free sucrose substitutes are usually used to make table sweeteners and diet drinks.

5. Trans fats. Hamburgers, French fries and take-away popcorn contain a lot of trans fats. It can lead to high cholesterol and coronary heart disease.

6. Hydrogenated vegetable oil. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, as a preservative and flavor enhancer, is often used to replace butter and fat in the processing of salad dressing, margarine and baked goods. It can lead to obesity, high cholesterol and heart disease.

For the above contents, please refer to People's Health Network-Why do you want to add flavors to food?

Refer to the above? People's Daily Online-Are food additives harmful to human health? Which foods often contain food additives?