In recent years, from "lean pork" incident, "Red Duck" event, "melamine milk" incident, the recent Shanghai's "dyed bread" event, Guangdong "staining fans" event, frequent exposure of food safety issues, people food security is getting worse, food safety issues caused serious psychological public panic, has been extremely suspicious to the point.

April 21, 2011, the State Council issued a "crack down on illegal food add behavior to strengthen the food additive regulation notice" so that food additives once again become the focus of public and media attention. Talking about food safety, many people will think of food additives, food safety issues is mistaken for food additives cause. Food additives in the food and food safety in the end what role, which is an urgent need to popularize scientific problems.

First of all, we must not forget, as old as the history of human use of food additives and human civilization. Brine point tofu is the Western Han Dynasty of the invention, dating back more than 2000 years of history, the brine is a food additive. Chinese people use baker's yeast, base surface are food additives.

Secondly, we must see that no food additives, no modern food. Food additives is one of the country's level of economic development and science and technology sign, the more developed countries, the rich variety of food additives, the greater the per capita consumption. Whether Western bread, cakes, sausage, juice drinks, ice cream or lunch bread, buns, fritters, Lantern Festival, moon cake, these food products can not do without food additives, which are not in our likes and dislikes for the transfer of Objective fact. If there is no food additives, not only dazzling variety of food shops will cease to exist, it is our home kitchen will be difficult to normal operation: moldy flour, lumps of salt, cooking oil will rancidity, soy sauce will degenerate ......

Third, so far, China's major food safety incidents are not together because the legitimate use of food additives cause, it is an indisputable fact. But many food additives, food safety has become an event of "scapegoat" and even synonymous in the minds of some food additives has become food insecure. Public food additives deep misunderstanding, conflict of emotions has to a large extent "scared" and "unworthy" of.

Popularization of scientific knowledge and food additive regulations has reached a critical point. To correct understanding and awareness of food additives, we must first clear the following questions.

1. What is a food additive? Food additive means to improve food quality and color, smell and taste as well as the preservation, preservation and processing into food needs of synthetic or natural material. China's implementation of the production and use of food additives licensing system, only really necessary to use, safe and reliable through our government-approved food additive is legal. China's food additives health standards (GB2760-2007) provides that: "should not obscure the food itself or the process of quality defects or adulterated, counterfeit purposes and use of food additives."

2, the additive does not mean food additive. Food additives is only one kind of additive, other additives feed additives, pharmaceutical additives, concrete additives, plastics additives, paint additives, fuel additives and the like. Melamine is not a food additive well known, but concrete additives, plastics additives and coating additives. We must distinguish food additives and illegal additives in food apart. Melamine, Sudan, "lean" are illegal food additives, is not a food additive.

3, even allow use of food additives must also be legitimate use can not exceed the scope of overuse. April 2011, a number of CCTV exposure Shanghai supermarket sales of corn bread does not add cornmeal, flour is made by the lemon yellow staining. Lemon is a permitted food additives may be used in puffed food, ice cream, cocoa cornflakes, fruit juice and other foods, but not for use in steamed bread. "Dyed bread" event is not only a consumer fraud violations, but also a typical range use of food additives violations.

4, does not allow the use of food additives foreign country can be used. 2009 Mengniu Milk Deluxe OMP storm, because the milk added to milk basic protein (MBP) caused. MBP this food additive has been licensed to use the United States and the Government of New Zealand, but the country was not yet allowed to use, this is a typical case of illegal reasonable.

5, the state permission to use food additives are not fixed. With the advancement of science and technology, the transformation of economic and social development and consumer perception, some new food additives will be licensed, and some old food additives will be eliminated or restricted range. From May 1 this year, we are not allowed to add flour Benzoyl Peroxide is an example.

6, legitimate use of food additives is to maintain food security needs. Legitimate use of food additives is not only safe, but also necessary. Currently worldwide, the consumption of food contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms cause disease is the number one food safety issues. If you do not use food preservatives, many food soon goes after eating will cause serious harm.

Throughout our food safety incidents, reason, in the final analysis are the people's problems, not the problem of food additives. Currently, food safety must be established as soon as possible and improve relevant laws, regulations and standards, improve the food safety regulatory system, according to punish illegal to add food and a variety of foods criminal acts; while vigorously strengthen publicity and education, to guide the public to correctly understand and treat food rational safe question.

Demonize food additives, food additives, anger can not solve food safety problems. Food additives play an irreplaceable role in the food manufacturing and maintaining food safety. "Monkeys are two sides could not cry, my boat these ten thousand mountains." With the economic and social development, scientific and technological progress and food additives relevant laws, regulations and standards to improve, our country will become increasingly rich variety of food additives, the food security situation is getting better.