The Food Chemical Reference Guide Safety, Sources, and Health Effects This information can be useful for: Food manufacturers and processors: to make safer ingredient and production choices. Packaging and FMCG companies: to ensure materials meet food safety standards. Health professionals and researchers: to support education and consumer protection. Consumers: to make informed decisions and better understand what’s in their food. 01 01 THE FOOD CHEMICAL REFERENCE GUIDE SAFETY, SOURCES, AND HEALTH EFFECTS Chemicals play an important role in how our food is made, stored, and kept safe. Many additives help food last longer, improve its texture, or make it look and taste better. Colourings make foods more appealing, flavourings enhance taste, and added nutrients or supplements can make foods more nutritious. Some chemicals also come from the materials used to package or store food, such as plastics in bottles, cups, or containers. Small amounts of these substances can sometimes move into the food itself. Chemicals may also be used on farms to protect crops and animals from pests or disease. Others can form naturally during cooking, heating, or cleaning processes. Nature can also introduce chemicals into our food. Certain plants and fungi produce toxins that can contaminate crops. In addition, both natural and human-made chemicals like dioxins, PCBs, and heavy metals can enter food through the soil, water, or air. Most of these substances are harmless at very low levels, but too much exposure over time can affect our health. Scientists study how these chemicals behave and help decide what amounts are safe to consume. Governments then use this information to set rules and safety limits that protect consumers. Food companies must follow these regulations to ensure their products are safe, maintain public trust, and support fair trade across countries. This guide brings together a list of chemicals linked to food production, packaging, and processing. It shows where these substances are found, their possible health effects, and how they are regulated in different regions, including the United States, the European Union, and other parts of the world. 01