Final answer:
Preservatives and enhancers are added to food to maintain safety, improve nutritional value, and enhance taste, texture, and appearance. Certain substances are not allowed in food due to safety concerns.
Step-by-step explanation:
Preservatives and enhancers are added to our food for various reasons:
- To maintain or improve safety and freshness: Preservatives help control contamination and prevent foodborne illness. Antioxidants prevent fats and oils from becoming rancid.
- To improve or maintain nutritional value: Vitamins and minerals are added to make up for those lacking in our diet or lost during processing.
- To improve taste, texture, and appearance: Spices, flavors, sweeteners, and food colors are added to enhance the sensory qualities of food.
There are substances that are not allowed in food due to safety concerns, such as sulfites, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors and flavors, sodium nitrate, BHA and BHT, olestra, caffeine, and monosodium glutamate.