A substance added to a food during its manufacture or processing in order to improve its keeping qualities, texture, appearance, or stability or to enhance its taste or color.

Additives are usually present in minute quantities; they include coloring materials, sweeteners, preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, and stabilizers.

In most countries the additives used must be selected from an approved list of such compounds, which have been tested for safety, and they must be listed on the food labels of individual products.