Some consumers believe that foods labeled "preservative-free" or "zero additives" are safer. Is this really the case?
In reality, preservatives are primarily used to prevent food spoilage. Otherwise, some foods would spoil before leaving the factory, and may even produce toxins due to spoilage. From this perspective, preservatives enrich our supermarket shelves and also make our food safer. Furthermore, all preservatives permitted by national standards have undergone safety evaluations, and their proper use will not harm consumers' health. Some foods naturally do not require preservatives because they cannot provide a suitable environment for spoilage microorganisms, such as honey (high in sugar). Therefore, for these foods, claiming to be "preservative-free" is purely a marketing strategy.
Claiming "zero additives" on food labels is a way of catering to consumers' aversion to food additives. Foods completely free of food additives are difficult to find in the modern food industry; at least, it's almost impossible to completely eliminate processing aids throughout the entire processing chain. The proper use of food additives inherently plays a role in ensuring food safety; "zero additives" foods cannot possibly be "top students" in terms of safety.
