modern+food+sold+in+the+supermarket+are+no+more+than+a+cocktail+of+chemicals

= CHONG HUI THENG = =Modern food sold in the supermarket are no more than a cocktail of chemicals =

 I agree with the statement above. Nowadays, modern food sold in the supermarket contains chemicals. However, the "chemicals" play an important role for the quality of food.and it really helps in many ways. Food additives  is an example of chemicals which contain in modern food. What is food additives? In its broadest sense, a food additive is ant substance added during the production, processing, treatment, packaging transportation or storage of food. There are direct food additives  and indirect food additives . If a substance is added to a food for a specific purpose in that food, it is referred to as a direct additives. For example, the low-calorie sweetener aspartame, which is used in beverages, pudding, yogurt, chewing gum and other foods, is considered a direct additive. Indirect food additives are those that become part of the fod in trace amounts due to its packaging, storage or other handling. For example, minute amounts of packaging substances may find their way into foods during storage. So, why are additives used in modern foods?  First, it is used to maintain product consistency . Emulsifiers gives products a consistent texture and prevent them from separating. Stabilizers and thickeners give smooth uniform texture. Anti-caking agents help substances such as salt to flow freely.  Then, food additives are used to  improve or maintain nutritional value . Vitamins and mineral are added to many common foods such as milk, flour, cereal and margarine to make up for those likely to be lacking in a person's diet or lost in processing. Such fortification and enrichment has helped reduce malnutrition among the U.S population. All products containing added nutrients must be appropriately labeled.  Besides, food additives maintain palatability and wholesomeness <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">. Preservatives retard product spoilage caused by mold, bacteria, fungi or yeast. Bacterial contamination can cause foodborne illness including life-threatening botulism. Antioxidants are preservatives that prevent fats and oil in baked goods and other foods from becoming rancid or developing an off flavor. They also prevent cut fresh fruits such as apples from turning brown when exposed to air. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;"> Furthermore, food additives provide <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">leavening or control acidity/alkalinity <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">. Leavening agents that release acids when heated can react with baking soda to help cakes, biscuits and other baked goods to rise during baking. Other additives help modify the acidity of foods for proper flavor, taste and color. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;"> In addition, food additives <span style="color: #00ff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">enhance flavor or impart desired color <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">. Many spices and natural and synthetic flavors enhance the taste of foods. Colors, likewise, enhance the appearance of certain foods to meet customer expectations. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;"> Most of the modern foods contain <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">color additives <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">. a color additives is any dye, pigment or substance that can impart color when added or applied to a food. It is used in foods for many reasons, including to offset color loss due to storage or processing of foods and to correct natural variations in food color. One of the example is <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">FD&C Yellow No.6 <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">which is used in cereals, bakery goods, snack foods and other foods. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;"> In a nut shell, modern foods contain chemicals but those chemicals do help to enhance the quality of food because it helps the foods become last longer, look attractive and taste nice.