This article highlights the prevalence of anxiety about food additives in modern society and explains that it is based on misconceptions stemming from media and anecdotal stories rather than scientific evidence. It also highlights the regulation and control of food additive safety and discusses the importance of a balanced view.

The need to rethink food additive safety

One of the most popular topics on television and in books these days is health, especially food. In an age where delicious food is readily available anytime and anywhere, and where distribution has made it possible to buy fresh food from anywhere in the country, there is something puzzling. Consumers are always anxious about what they eat. In any bookstore, you can find books that compare food additives to poisons in the bestselling section of health books. Bad food has even become a major national issue and has been called one of the four evils of society, along with violence.
Food companies use this as a marketing point to claim that they have removed certain food additives. According to a 2013 survey conducted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the average consumer and consumer organisations consider food additives to be the biggest threat to food safety. This shows that food additives are particularly worrisome in Korea, compared to the United States and Japan, where bacteria and viruses are the main threats.
Ironically, however, few countries have more stringent food regulations than Korea. Thanks to the high level of consumer awareness and the scrutiny of the internet and civil society organisations, we have some of the strictest standards in the world. However, people seem to prefer to hear ‘unsafe’ news than ‘safe’ news. This is because the fear-mongering in the media is more powerful.

Myths and truths about food additives

Anxiety about food additives often stems from the media and anecdotal stories. These stories are very personal and often trigger an emotional response rather than a scientific one. One interesting example is the Japanese author Tsukasa Abe’s book ‘ Food Additives, the Greatest Trick Man Has Ever Played’, which stirred public anxiety by claiming that ‘people who make processed food never eat the processed food they make’. However, these stories are often anecdotal and lack scientific evidence.
The Food X-Files programme claimed that MSG was ‘harmless, but not 100% safe’, citing examples of headaches, indigestion, and thirst. However, anecdotal evidence is often more powerful than scientific studies, and misleads the public. Anecdotes tend to feel more real to people because they are specific and vivid. However, scientific studies provide more reliable results because they compare many results and take an average.

All substances are toxic

There is no substance in the world that is not toxic. Most people assume that natural substances are safe and chemically synthesised substances are dangerous, but the truth is different. Natural colours may be stronger than artificial colours, and artificial flavours may be safer than natural flavours. However, many consumers place too much trust in the word ‘natural’. For example, they tend to think of natural flavours extracted from tens of thousands of roses as precious, and artificial flavours as harmful. However, this perception is highly biased. In reality, artificially synthesised substances can be used in a purified form, which makes them safer.
Even sugar and salt can be deadly if used in excess. Yet we eat sugar and salt every day and don’t perceive them as dangerous. In this way, any substance can be poisonous or safe depending on the ‘amount’. The difference between medicine and poison is the amount.

Control and regulation of food additives

The safety of food additives is closely monitored through international standards. The Joint FAO/WHO Codex Committee on Food Additives requires that food additives are harmless to humans, do not accumulate in the body, and are used in accordance with established standards. It is important to note that all food additives are strictly regulated in the amount they are used. The ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) is the amount that is safe for a person to consume per kilogram of body weight per day, and is applied at 1/100th of the value calculated in animal tests. In other words, the amount of food additives we actually consume is extremely small.
Nevertheless, some experts claim that food additives can accumulate in the body and cause chronic toxicity. However, these claims are mostly exaggerated. Food additives are designed not to accumulate in the body and are naturally broken down and eliminated over time. Considering this, the idea that the food additives we consume on a daily basis have any long-term health effects is not scientifically supported.

Anxiety costs money

Anxious consumers are easily fooled by food companies’ marketing gimmicks. The phrase ‘free from’ gives consumers a perception of safety, but in many cases it is simply unnecessary information. For example, emulsifier-free claims on foods that don’t need emulsifiers, or ‘no sugar added’ on yoghurt that uses liquid and powdered sugar instead of sugar. In the end, this anxiety is passed on to consumers, who either pay higher prices or have fewer choices.

Conclusion: a balanced view is needed

Food additive fears are often based on exaggerated information and anecdotal stories. There is no need to be overly concerned about food additives whose safety has been well reviewed and studied. The bias that anything artificial is always harmful can lead us to the wrong conclusions. The important thing is to maintain a balanced view based on scientifically validated information. It”s misinformation and excessive anxiety that threaten our health and safety.