Apart from raw food materials and natural ingredients, such as whey concentrates, sugar, oils and dairy and plant proteins, food companies use various additives to meet the market demands for flavour, colour, texture, safety, nutrition, and digestive health.

Additives used in the food industry include:

• Natural and artificial preservatives

• Sweeteners

• Natural and artificial colours

• Flavour enhancers

• Nutrients and vitamins

• Fat replacers and starch modifiers

• Emulsifying, gelling, stabilising and thickening agents

• Binders and texturisers

• pH control agents and acidulants to control acidity and alkalinity

• Leavening and anti-caking agents

The food ingredients market has been growing rapidly due to increasing demand for processed foods, which is mainly driven by the growth of urban populations in developing countries, and their increasing purchasing power and preferences for convenience foods.

With consumers becoming increasingly health-conscious, there has been a growing demand for foods that are rich in proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants; low in salt, sugar, fat and gluten; and made from as many naturally extracted ingredients as possible.

In addition to health-boosting ingredients, food companies are increasingly looking for novelty ingredients to create products that give authentic taste and appeal to the consumers.