EU rules on food additives, enzymes and flavourings
Additives are substances used for a variety of reasons - such as preservation, colouring, sweetening, etc.- during the preparation of food. The European Union legislation defines them as "any substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not normally used as a characteristic ingredient of food, whether or not it has nutritive value". Added to food for technological purposes in its manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport or storage, food additives become a component of the food.
The link address is: https://food.ec.europa.eu/safety/food-improvement-agents/additives_en