An additive is a substance people put into food or drink as an extra, not as one of the main ingredients. Its job is to help: keep the food from going bad, keep the colour bright, make the taste stronger, stop it separating, or give it a certain feel in the mouth. You see the word on packets, in shops, and in news about food safety.

An additive一個additive（食品添加物） is a substance people put into food or drink as an extra是人們額外加進食物或飲料裡的物質， not as one of the main ingredients而不是主要成分之一。 Its job is to help它的作用是幫忙： keep the food from going bad不讓食物壞掉、 keep the colour bright讓顏色保持鮮豔、 make the taste stronger讓味道更濃、 stop it separating防止分層、 or give it a certain feel in the mouth或是讓口感變成某種樣子。 You see the word on packets, in shops, and in news about food safety你會在包裝上、店裡，還有食品安全的新聞裡看到這個字。

It can sound a little cold and scientific. Though actually, the idea stretches past food: petrol, plastic, and animal feed can have additives too. The food sense is just the one learners meet first.

It can sound a little cold and scientific這個字聽起來有點冷冰冰、很科學。 Though actually不過其實， the idea stretches past food這個概念不只用在食物上： petrol, plastic, and animal feed can have additives too汽油、塑膠、動物飼料裡也可以有additives。 The food sense is just the one learners meet first食物這個意思，只是學習者最先遇到的用法而已。

As an adjective, additive also means “working by adding” (additive flavouring; in maths, an additive process). Here the heart of the word is the extra substance in the food.

As an adjective當形容詞用的時候， additive also meansadditive還可以指 “working by adding”「用累加的方式作用」（additive flavouringadditive flavouring，添加式的調味； in maths, an additive process數學上叫additive process，加法過程）。 Here the heart of the word is the extra substance in the food在這裡（本義）這個字的核心，就是食物裡額外加進去的那個物質。