Artificial Chemicals in Food: Additives in Modern Food

A dizzying array of chemical compounds is used in modern food. Artificially manufactured dyes, preservatives, flavors, texture enhancers, and fats enhance the way food looks, tastes, and feels. Considerable debate has raged over the long-term safety of chemical food additives, which are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. The FDA allows the addition of non-nutritive substances as long as the chemical is “generally recognized as safe (GRAS).” Certain additives have been banned over time, as the toxic nature of the chemical became known.