What is the difference between Artificial and Synthetic additives?
Artificial additive is introducing a chemical not normally found in the food, it is not innate but added to provide color, flavor, vitamins or other essential nutrient or to prolong shelf-life. Iodine is added to salt to prevent thyroid diseases, vitamin D and calcium are added to milk prevent rickets. These diseases were once very common but education, improved food storage and transport, and additives have radically reduced their incidence in many countries. Some additives are harvested from domestic plants like guar gum and are added as thickeners. A synthetic additive has been manufactured and added.
