Octafluorocyclobutane,
polyethylene glycol and flavoxanthin — these probably don’t ring a bell, but you may be unwittingly eating them. They are just three of the 350 food additivities used in the food industry.
Food additives are used for a variety of reasons, mainly to enhance flavour, colour and texture or to prolong the shelf life of food products. Approved additives are regulated by the government, but there is conflicting, and sometimes startling, evidence regarding their safety. Some approved additives are restricted or even banned in other countries. Despite some grey areas, we have a much smaller sale of additives than the US,
