Food additives are widely used across the globe. So far, more than 2-thousand additives can be added to food in China. Nearly 90-percent of the food on the market contain some additives.
Like the colorant in kim chi and preservatives in jellies. Some contain more than one additive. Ice cream has 16 kinds and instant noodles 14. It's estimated that one adult eats more than 80 kinds of food additives everyday.
Experts say China has lengthy and strict procedures to test whether ingredient are safe to use as additives. They include animal testing and expert scientific analysis. Additives are not harmful to heath if people don't eat too many. But overeating can lead to liver damage, muscle spasms and problems with the nervous system.