Functional classes

Acidity regulator

A food additive, which controls the acidity or alkalinity of a food.

  • acidity regulator

  • acid

  • acidifier

  • alkali

  • base

  • buffer

  • buffering agent

  • pH adjusting agent

Antifoaming agent

A food additive, which prevents or reduces foaming.

  • antifoaming agent

  • defoaming agent

Anticaking agent

Reduces the tendency of particles of food to adhere to one another.

  • anticaking agent

  • anti-stick agent

  • drying agent

  • dusting agent

Antioxidant

A food additive, which prolongs the shelf-life of foods by protecting against deterioration caused by oxidation.

  • antioxidant

  • antioxidant synergist

  • antibrowning agent

Bleaching agent

A food additive (non-flour use) used to decolourize food. Bleaching agents do not include pigments.

  • bleaching agent

Bulking agent

A food additive, which contributes to the bulk of a food without contributing significantly to its available energy value.

  • bulking agent

  • filler

Carbonating agent

A food additive used to provide carbonation in a food.

  • carbonating agent

Carrier

A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function (and without exerting any technological effect itself) in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.

  • carrier solvent

  • carrier

  • nutrient carrier

  • diluent for other food additives

  • encapsulating agent

Colour

A food additive, which adds or restores colour in a food.

  • decorative pigment

  • surface colorant

  • colour

Colour retention agent

A food additive, which stabilizes, retains or intensifies the colour of a food.

  • colour fixative

  • colour retention agent

  • colour stabilizer

  • color adjunct

Emulsifier

A food additive, which forms or maintains a uniform emulsion of two or more phases in a food.

  • emulsifier

  • plasticizer

  • surface active agent

  • dispersing agent

  • crystallization inhibitor

  • density adjustment agent (flavouring oils in beverages)

  • clouding agent

  • suspension agent

Emulsifying salt

A food additive, which, in the manufacture of processed food, rearranges proteins in order to prevent fat separation.

  • emulsifying salt

  • melding salt

  • emulsifying salt synergist

Firming agent

A food additive, which makes or keeps tissues of fruit or vegetables firm and crisp, or interacts with gelling agents to produce or strengthen a gel.

  • firming agent

Flavour enhancer

A food additive, which enhances the existing taste and/or odour of a food.

  • flavour enhancer

  • flavour synergist

Flour treatment agent

A food additive, which is added to flour or dough to improve its baking quality or colour.

  • flour treatment agent

  • flour bleaching agent

  • flour improver

  • dough conditioner

  • dough strengthening agent

Foaming agent

A food additive, which makes it possible to form or maintain a uniform dispersion of a gaseous phase in a liquid or solid food.

  • whipping agent

  • foaming agent

  • aerating agent

Gelling agent

A food additive, which gives a food texture through formation of a gel.

  • gelling agent

Glazing agent

A food additive, which when applied to the external surface of a food, imparts a shiny appearance or provides a protective coating.

  • glazing agent

  • sealing agent

  • coating agent

  • surface-finishing agent

  • polishing agent

  • film forming agent

Humectant

A food additive, which prevents food from drying out by counteracting the effect of a dry atmosphere.

  • humectant

  • moisture/water retention agent

  • wetting agent

Packaging gas

A food additive gas, which is introduced into a container before, during or after filling with food with the intention to protect the food, for example, from oxidation or spoilage.

  • packaging gas

Preservative

A food additive, which prolongs the shelf-life of a food by protecting against deterioration caused by microorganisms.

  • preservative

  • antimicrobial preservative

  • antimycotic agent

  • bacteriophage control agent

  • fungistatic agent

  • antimicrobial synergist

  • antimould and antirope agent

Propellant

A food additive gas, which expels a food from a container.

  • propellant

Raising agent

A food additive or a combination of food additives, which liberate(s) gas and thereby increase(s) the volume of a dough or batter.

  • raising agent

Sequestrant

A food additive, which controls the availability of a cation.

  • sequestrant

Stabilizer

A food additive, which makes it possible to maintain a uniform dispersion of two or more components.

  • stabilizer

  • foam stabilizer

  • colloidal stabilizer

  • emulsion stabilizer

  • stabilizer synergist

  • binder

Sweetener

A food additive (other than a mono- or disaccharide sugar), which imparts a sweet taste to a food.

  • intense sweetener

  • sweetener

  • bulk sweetener

Thickener

A food additive, which increases the viscosity of a food.

  • thickener

  • bodying agent

  • binder

  • texturizing agent

  • thickener synergist