23 Common Food Additives In Packaged Food

I’m no health expert. I didn’t compile this list to tell you what you should and shouldn’t eat. Every time we buy food from a package, most likely, manufactures have added something to ensure freshness, create a certain texture, or maybe even to bond ingredients.

I once heard a saying, “if you can’t pronounce it, you shouldn’t eat it.” Great words to live by, but in all honesty, our fast paced lives sometimes need a break, so we thrive on the essence of convenience. It seems all the items on this list have been the center of controversy at one point by one group of experts, but also said to be okay by another group. Be weary my friends.

1. Monosodium Glutamate

A white crystal like powder has the letters msg in cursive drawn in the pile.

Also known as MSG, this notorious additive is most well-known as a highly controversial but common ingredient in Chinese food. It’s also used in canned soups and vegetables and in processed meats, but we don’t hear about that as much.

MSG is sodium salt of glutamic acid (whatever that means) and is also actually naturally found in tomatoes.

Maybe you shouldn’t be shoving it in your mouth by the spoonful, but it seems a little suspicious monosodium glutamate is in lots of packaged food on the shelf yet the conversation always comes back to how Chinese restaurants use MSG.

2. Carrageenan

Close up of the moss used to extract carrageenan.

Extracted from seaweed and also called Irish Moss, carrageenan has been used as a thickening and gelatin agent for centuries. Mostly used as a concentrated additive in dairy and dairy-alternative products like cottage cheese or almond milk, carrageenan has recently become scrutinized for claims of causing inflammation. Some experts say this controversy is outlandish since carrageenan comes from the natural world.

3. Butylated Hydroxyanisole

Also known as BHA, Butylated Hydroxyanisole is a wax-like substance is used as a preservative in packaged foods and makeup to prevent oxidation. Common in snack foods such as potato chips, cooking oils, and cooking fats such as butter or lard, BHA is said by some experts to cause cancer but is ruled safe by the FDA.

4. Paraben

Paraben is used as a preservative commonly found in food and cosmetics. Soda, jellies, and ice cream are amongst common packaged foods paraben is used to increase shelf life.

Paraben is extracted from para-hydroxybenzoic acid that actually naturally occurs in some fruits and vegetables, and is also made organically in the body by amino acids.

Controversy strikes for some folks claim it works like estrogen in the human body and causes cancer. Others swear it’s okay to consume because paraben occurs naturally.

5. High Fructose Corn Syrup

Corn on the cob next to flask of high fructose corn syrup.

High Fructose Corny Syrup is used as a sugar substitute and is derived from… you guessed it: corn. I remember ads boasting that there is nothing wrong with consuming it, though many experts believe obesity is much more widespread thanks to the fact that due to its low production cost, High Fructose Corn Syrup is replacing sugar in so many packaged foods.

I won’t even begin to list the amount of foods that contain HFCS (that’s what the cool kids are calling it), since it’s getting harder to find a packaged food that doesn’t use it. HFCS is also said to be mostly empty calories, or in other words with little to no nutrients for the body to absorb. Think about how corn kernels end up after you eat them…

6. Sodium Nitrate

A common preservative in processed meats (lunch meat, hot dogs, etc), Sodium Nitrate is believed to cause cancer, mental illness, heart disease, and alzheimer’s; the list really goes on. Sodium nitrate is even used by pest control to kill rats.

Though sodium nitrate is necessary in small doses in order for life to survive, concentrated doses are said to come with many health risks. Hey, at least that deli ham lasts for months.

7. Artificial Colors

When it comes to food additives, artificial colors is one where the controversy never ends. Some countries have banned them, others allow them. Some experts have made claims they can cause cancer and hyperactivity in children, while other experts claim all available Artificial Colors sold for consumption have been tested and deemed safe.

Before coal tar and then later petroleum were used to make artificial food coloring, cultures used things like beet juice and crushed up beetles (yup, look up carmine) to color their food.

8. Artificial Sweeteners

Glass jar full of different artificial sweetener single serve packages.

I can’t think of my childhood in the 80’s without visions of commercials touting artificial sweeteners like Nutrasweet as a God-send for those who want to enjoy products like soda without the guilt. Aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame, neotame, and sucralose are amongst the five FDA approved artificial sweeteners (Stevia as a natural alternative).

Each artificial sweetener acts within the body in a different manner, but the AHA & ADA have both raised concerns of artificial sweeteners linked to heart attacks.

9. Sulfites

The FDA says 1 in 100 people have a sensitivity to sulfites. This can mean sulfites cause mild irritations in some but side effects can also span all the way to being fatal. Many have said drinking wine gives them headaches and typically claim it’s the sulfites.

Sulfites are created naturally by fermentation but are also used as an additive to preserve freshness.

10. Potassium Bromate

Stacked racks of plastic packaged sliced bread.

Potassium bromate is a food additive used commonly for baking breads in the United States but is illegal in many European countries, China, and many other territories (not suspicious at all). The reason many places have banned its use is it’s said to cause cancer in lab rats.

Though it helps speed the natural aging process of flour, improving the volume and texture of bread dough, using potassium bromate isn’t really necessary. Another effect this additive has on bread is giving it an unnatural white color (kind of makes you… wonder…).

Luckily many bakers opt not to use potassium bromate, but when it comes to those giant brands that are in every grocery store and food chain, it’s likely you’ve consumed it if you live a typical American life.

11. Azodicarbonamide

Pre made sub sandwiches on a fast food counter.

Azodicarbonamide is another food additive commonly used in breads to whiten and preserve. If you’ve ever eaten fast food in the United States you have most likely consumed this agent, but it’s B=banned in Europe and Australia after it was suspected of causing asthma.

Concerns struck the mainstream when more people became hip to the fact that azodicarbonamide is used in the production of foam like plastics. McDonalds and Subway then made claims that they were no longer going to use azodicarbonamide in their bread. Yeah, I’m sure that made it all natural.

12. Propyl Gallate

Propyl gallate is a preservative in foods with fats, and is also seen in packaged soup, popcorn, frozen dinners and gum. Also used in beauty products, this food additive is said to be safe as an anti-spoiling agent though some believe it can cause liver problems.

Propyl gallate is also believed to have given lab rats tumors but, as the research was deemed inconclusive, is still used in foods commonly available at the supermarket. Sounds sketch.

13. Propylene Glycol

A liquid additive to help not only with preservation but also texture and to keep products moist, propylene glycol is used in things like antifreeze as well as food products. It’s even considered a flavor enhancer (yum).

Kidney and liver issues along with heart attack are common concerns amongst critics of propylene glycol’s use in food.

14. Tertiary Butylhydroquinone

Huh??? Also known as TBHQ, this additive is a chemical used for preservation and anti-oxidation in fatty foods such as margarine and cooking oils. The FDA only allows 0.02% of tertiary butylhydroquinone in foods. Though that amount might not be enough to poison the average bear, it’s also noted that we might be eating more TBHQ than we should since it’s included in so many foods.

TBHQ is also often used in conjunction with propyl gallate and BHA, additives said to cause tumors, liver enlargement, neurotoxins, and paralysis in lab rats. Some experts also believe TBHQ is linked to changes in human conduct.

15. Trans Fat

Said to be the most detrimental fat of all fats you can consume in food, trans fats are mostly lab-created but do occur naturally. In the lab, trans fats are created when chemicals are added to oils to make them more solid. In nature, trans fats are produced in the guts of some animals and thus are also found in foods made from those animals (like their meat or milk).

Foods that are fried contain trans fat. Shortening is high in trans fat. Cake mixes are riddled with them.

Known to raise cholesterol and cause health problems, this is one whammy you really should watch for on nutrition facts and keep consumption to a minimum.

16. Calcium Chloride

Petri dish ends containing calcium chloride.

Used for anti-caking, saltiness, and improving color, calcium chloride is commonly found in tofu and sports drinks. This additive is also used to help coagulate milk when making cheese and harden the water during beer brewing.

Calcium chloride is typically seen as safe, but again, the FDA only allows so much in commercial foods because high doses can be dangerous.

17. Disodium Inosinate

Cuts of several meat selections sitting on a wooden cutting board.

Disodium inosinate is a flavor enhancer that is made from fermenting sugar or is extracted from yeast. Said to naturally occur in meats, many concerns are raised about the adding of disodium inosinate to other foods, but the FDA claims it to be safe.

Lab reports say to have shown no damage from animals disodium inosinate is tested on. Many times disodium inosinate is found in foods it’s mixed with MSG or disodium 5’-guanylate.

18. Guanylate

Bags of chips, soup cans, and several dairy products are common products where you might find guanylate. There’s a chance you might not have heard of this one even if you’re a label reader because it sometimes gets lumped in as “natural flavoring.”

Guanylate is produced from extraction methods as it does naturally occur in some things like mushrooms. This salt-like compound is commonly used in conjunction with or to replace MSG, and is seen as safe by the FDA – but naysayers feel there isn’t enough research to make that claim.

19. Maltodextrin

Laboratory setting with dish of a powder next to a bottle reading maltodextrin.

Maltodextrin is mainly used for texture and longevity and is considered relatively safe by the FDA. However, concerns have risen on maltodextrin due to studies that have shown mice who consume it lose healthy gut bacteria and gain bad gut bacteria.

Being a sort of alternative or booster for sugar, maltodextrin is said to be a bad choice for those with high blood pressure or people with diabetes. Another concern is that maltodextrin is often extracted from genetically modified corn.

20. Ascorbic Acid

Sliced oranges next to a bowl of extracted powder known as ascorbic acid.

Another ingredient which is needed to survive in small doses, you may know this additive by its other name, Vitamin C. Naturally occurring in most citrus fruits and some vegetables, ascorbic acid is extracted and used in many shelf-stocked foods as a preservative or to boost/give a citrus flavor.

Seen as relatively safe, the only concern here is when manufacturers add ascorbic acid to multiple kinds of packaged foods. Even too much natural occurring Vitamin C can be a bad thing. Everything in moderation, people.

21. Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum is a bonding agent made by fermenting sugar with a bacteria named Xanthomonas campestris. This additive is found in all kinds of liquid food products: dressings, sauces, syrups, you name it.

Concerns imply this food glue additive for thickening and consistency causes digestive issues and may convert bacteria residing in the gut. Pro Xanthan gum people tout that one of it’s health benefits is that it can lower cholesterol.

22. Refined Oils

Refined oils, particularly seed oils, are rapidly replacing trans fats in many packaged foods. And just like fats, they’re usually used to improve taste and texture. If you’ve had any chips, a granola bar, crackers, or even a frozen burrito recently, if you looked on the label it would like contain canola, sunflower, or palm kernel oil, or some combination thereof.

Refined oils are favored by food manufacturers for their low cost and longer shelf life, but health experts aren’t so into them. The high heats used in production to extract the oil from the seed or fruit causes oxidation, and as a result these oils have a much higher Omega-6 ratio than what is healthy. Humans typically need a 1:1 balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 to stave off inflammation, but most Americans have a ratio of 15:1.

23. Bisphenol A

So maybe this isn’t technically an additive, but Bisphenol A is a food-adjacent substance not to be left out of the conversation when it comes to junk that nobody asked for being added to our food.

Bisphenol A is better known as BPA, and has been used to manufacture certain plastics since the 1950s. You may have heard of BPA in recent years, as concerns have increased over this chemical leaching into our food and beverages from the plastic containers used to package them.

The FDA maintains that small amounts of BPA are safe, but there’s definitely been a very large consumer push to remove BPA from plastic food packaging.