A substance added to something in small quantities to improve or preserve it. As an adjective, relating to addition or having a cumulative effect.
From Latin additivus, from addere 'to add'. The modern chemical and food industry sense developed in the 20th century as processed foods became common.
Food additives have numbers (like E621 for MSG) because the European system needed a universal code that transcended language barriers. Many additives we fear today, like citric acid, occur naturally in fruits - it's the dose and context that matter, not the chemical name.
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