The use of food additives has a long history. With the improvement of modern food processing technology and the development of the food industry, significant progress has been made in the research and use of food additives, which has played a positive role in promoting the development of the food industry. Recently, the "Chinese Consumer Food Additive Awareness Survey" initiated by the Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center showed that Chinese consumers still have four major misunderstandings about food additives. Misunderstanding: Long term excessive intake of food additives is harmful to health? This survey shows that 62% of consumers believe that "long-term and excessive consumption of food additives is harmful to their health". Zhong Kai, director of the Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center, said that "long-term large-scale" is actually layman's language, and experts who truly understand food safety will not say so. For example, when evaluating the safety of food additives, it is necessary to fully consider the extreme situation of "lifelong, daily, and high intake". Therefore, the so-called "long-term high intake is harmful to health" on the internet is almost impossible to appear. In addition, national standards also "calculate the general ledger" when specifying the scope and amount of use of food additives, so the "superposition effect" that everyone is concerned about is also included. Misunderstanding 2: Natural source food additives are safer than synthetic ones? This survey shows that 70% of consumers believe that "natural source food additives are safer than artificially synthesized ones". Luo Yunbo, an academician of the International Academy of Food science and a professor of Beijing Technology and Business University, said that this idea may be related to the widespread existence of "Chemophobia". However, both natural and synthetic food additives are "chemical substances", and they are treated equally in management: use the same methods and criteria to assess their safety. Therefore, approved food additives are equally safe regardless of their source. Misunderstanding three: "0 addition" and "0 preservative" is safer? This survey shows that 66% of consumers believe that food with "0 additives" and "0 preservatives" is safer. Sun Baoguo, an academician of the CAE Member, pointed out that "zero addition" and "zero preservative" were typical panic marketing, taking advantage of consumers' concerns and distrust of food additives, which in turn further strengthened the awareness of "food additives are harmful". In fact, "zero addition" and "zero preservative" will not be safer, and sometimes it will mislead consumers, which may create stigma and Unfair competition for other products, and is not conducive to the healthy development of the food industry. Misunderstanding that melamine and clenbuterol are food additives? Melamine and clenbuterol are two typical illegal additives, but this survey shows that nearly 80% of consumers still mistake them for food additives. Chen Junshi, an academician of the CAE Member, pointed out that only those approved by the government are food additives, and those used without approval are illegal additives. The demonization of food additives is partly due to consumers confusing food additives with illegal additives. Although relevant government departments, professional circles, and the food industry have done a lot of science popularization around food additives, it is clear that there is still a long way to go. In addition, it is recommended that the professional community further strengthen research on communication strategies, so that scientific knowledge and concepts can truly be "heard and heard". (Outlook New Era Network)
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Source：http://epaper.ynet.com/html/2023-06/08/content_418505.htm?div=-1
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