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If you google food additives you’ll get thousands of pages listing a wide range of scary side effects food additives cause.
Because they are chemicals, people think they should be omitted from food. While some studies have shown negative side effects, these studies are often flawed or use dosages a lot higher than we would consume and are not supported by other studies.
Although some people do have adverse reactions to food additives, most people can consume them without concern.
About food additives There is a wide range of food additives which are generally coded by number on the ingredients list of the food. Food additives are used to prolong the life of foods (preservatives) and to help improve taste or appearance (by the use of flavours, colours and thickeners to name a few).
Below is information on a select few additives that you’ve probably heard of.
Monosodium Glutamate - MSG MSG is a flavour enhancer used in a huge variety of foods, especially savoury snack type foods . It is often found in Chinese restaurant food. While both FSANZ and the American Food and Drug Administration have classified MSG as "generally recognised as safe," its use remains controversial. It has been acknowledged that MSG does cause a range adverse reactions in some people, the group of which has been called MSG Syndrome Complex. These reactions can include the following:
Headaches
Sweating
Heart Palpitations
Chest pain
Shortness of Breath
Sense of tightness around the face
These symptoms are usually mild and do not require treatment. The only way to avoid this is to avoid foods containing MSG. Food containing MSG can be identified on the ingredients list usually by the following: flavour enhancer and a number in brackets which range from 620 through to 625.
Artificial Sweeteners Many people are afraid of using artificial sweeteners after reading information on the internet which relates consumption to brain tumours, panic attacks, headaches and a long list of other scary sounding ailments. Artificial sweeteners are broken down, metabolised and excreted completely just like any other compound that is eaten and are one of the most widely studied additives. The most common artificial sweetener is aspartame, but others are saccharine, sucralose and cyclamate.
Recently a study conducted in Italy brought media wide attention when it claimed to find a link between aspartame and an increased risk of cancer in rats. However, this study has been found to have some major flaws and a recent review of over 500 different studies in have confirmed aspartame to be safe for consumption. If you use artificial sweeteners in a moderate amount, you needn’t fret that they are causing you harm. However, it is unwise to consume excessive amounts or misuse products containing these sweeteners.
Food Additives and Asthma In people with severe asthma, the preservative sulphur dioxide (identified by number 220) which is used in fruit juice or drink, wine, grapes, delicatessen meats and dried tree fruits such as apricots may trigger an asthma attack.
Tartrazine (identified by number 102) is a yellow food colour used in a range of foods including sauces and soft drinks. Some studies have shown that foods and drinks containing this additive can cause dermatitis, asthma or a runny nose in a small proportion of people.
While most people don’t react to the above, speak with your doctor if you are concerned about any of the above. Most processed foods contain a range of food additives and because many processed foods are high in fat, sugar and salt it’s a good idea to eat these in moderation and within doing this you will avoid a high intake of additives without even trying. More about food additives and their codes can be found through the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, and a booklet can be downloaded here
listing a wide range of scary side effects food additives cause. 
Monosodium Glutamate - MSG
Artificial Sweeteners 
In people with severe asthma, the preservative sulphur dioxide (identified by number 220) which is used in fruit juice or drink, wine, grapes, delicatessen meats and dried tree fruits such as apricots may trigger an asthma attack.