The need for food additives and their toxicity

Abstract

The paper presents an ecotoxicological study upon some food additives used worldwide. A brief assessment of the use of food additives, the advantages and disadvantages of their introduction into technological processes and their biological effects has been carried out. Chemical analyzes were realized in some food sauces for representatives of the group of food dyes and the group of antioxidants, namely tartrazine and the sodium salt of ethylene diamino-tetra acetic acid (EDTA). The results showed the presence of the two additives in the studied products from the Romanian market, whether declared or not. Finally, the results obtained were discussed both from the perspective of the need and the toxicity of the studied food additives.