Flavour over preservation: a label analysis examining the use of food additives in animal-based foods marketed in Brazil

Packaging animal-based foods often necessitates the use of additives for preservation. No study has yet focused on the usage of food additives across different animal-based foods. This study aimed to examine food additives declared on labels of animal-based foods (n = 1702) sold in Brazil. Data was collected through a census of food labels conducted in a supermarket in 2020. The number and prevalence of additives were determined by functional class, food group, and food subgroup. Additives were identified in 71% of the analysed labels. Excluding fresh foods, the prevalence of additives was 84%. The food groups with the highest prevalence of additives were dairy products (89%), ready-to-eat dishes (88%), and animal fats (60%). A total of 240 different food additives were identified, with a median of three additives per food. The most reported functional classes across all food groups were flavourings (20%), stabilisers (19%), preservatives (14%), and colourings (9%). These results showed that additives were primarily used for sensory reasons, such as altering taste, smell, colour, and texture, rather than for preservation purposes. These findings may promote discussions and a review of regulations on the use of food additives in animal-based foods.