A PHOTO has been widely shared online showing a recent forum organized by the Alliance against Food Additives. Beijing News comments:

Legally speaking, the "alliance" is not a legally registered social organization. Scientifically speaking, what it advocates goes against the knowledge of food scientists.

"Good, healthy food should be without additives," said the organizer of the forum.

But that view has been challenged by experts. Rao Pingfan, a member of International Academy of Food Science and Technology said that it is ridiculous to oppose all kinds of food additives without distinguishing them.

Some media outlets have even discovered that the "alliance" was launched by a liquor company, which had been punished by market regulatory departments because one of its commercial advertisements openly advocated people drink liquor. Besides, the "alliance" has never registered at the Ministry of Civil Affairs that is in charge of regulating social organizations.

Unlike the claims of the alliance, food additives are not all bad. Many are necessary for the preservation, flavor, as well as the appearance of food. If there were no food additives, the modern food industry would not exist.

Yet the "alliance" has prospered since it was founded in 2015. There were fewer than 10 companies that were the founding members, yet in 2018 its members exceeded 100.

Of course, illegal food additives are banned for a reason. For example, the notorious melamine, which was added to children's dairy products before 2008, ruined the image of food additives in the public eye. However, it is not desirable to ban all additives, and the State has detailed, strict standards for their use.

What is needed is to promote better awareness of food safety and why food additives are used, instead of creating unnecessary concern among the public. There are reports that show certain enterprises of the "alliance" tried to sell their food "without additives" after opposing food additives of all kinds, which reveals their true intentions.