What are additives?

Historical development of the concern exercised by the public institutions of a country for the food taken by their citizens, through care for its safety and proper testing by authorized governmental institutions, is presented. In the USA, FDA was established for this purpose, whereas European Union agencies are in charge in Europe. Additives are listed and classified according to E-number groups introduced in the European Union in 1990. Difference between the additives and supplements is explained. Special reference is given to an anonymous leaflet that appeared in Zagreb in the autumn 2000, in which some additives were described as harmful, detrimental, carcinogenic and highly hazardous, providing no valid arguments for such a statement. The author considers it merely an unargumented propaganda attack on particular European food manufactures.