Ingredients and additives
One additive, different rules: why lists do not match
The argument that "this additive is banned in Europe" sounds convincing and almost always requires clarification.
Blog
Every article takes a claim you have already heard about food and follows the mechanism behind it — what actually happens in the body, what the research supports, and where the claim stops being true.
Shopping
Chocolate and confectionery bars: what changes when cocoa butter is replaced
Cocoa butter is the most expensive part of chocolate, and an entire category of products that look indistinguishable from it has been built around its replacement.
Allergies
Cross-reactivity: why birch pollen makes your mouth itch when you eat an apple
A person with a birch pollen allergy bites into an apple and feels itching and tingling in their mouth.
Ingredients and additives
Titanium dioxide E171: an additive allowed for decades and then banned
Titanium dioxide has been used as a food coloring for decades and was considered one of the most inert additives: it does not dissolve, is not absorbed to any significant degree, and is chemically extremely stable.
Shopping
Shrinkflation: the package got smaller, but the price stayed the same
A liter of milk has turned into 900 milliliters, a dozen eggs into nine, and a chocolate bar has shrunk from 100 grams to 85.
Allergies
"May contain traces": what is behind this label
The label "may contain traces of nuts" is found on half the shelves, including products where nuts have no business being.
Ingredients and additives
How E numbers work: what the first digit tells you
The three-digit number after the letter E is not random: it carries information about why the substance was added.
Shopping
Private label products: what they are and when to buy them
A store-brand product costs 20–40% less than a name-brand equivalent sitting right next to it on the shelf.
Ingredients and additives
Emulsifiers: what they do in food and what is known about them
Water and fat do not mix—this is a basic fact, and it is the source of half the problems in food technology.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prescription for treatment or a diet, and it does not replace a consultation with your doctor. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, take medication, or follow a diet prescribed to you, decisions about food belong with your doctor.
Figures from regulations, guidelines and studies are given as they stood when this article was prepared and may since have changed; check them against the primary sources. This article is not advertising, an offer, or individual advice, and neither the author nor the site owner is responsible for decisions taken on the basis of it.