For an informational discussion of a chemicals in our food visit this article by Nathan Myhrvold at Saveur magazine:
We were often asked “Why are you putting so many chemicals into your food?” Often the questioner, in the next breath, said something like, “I prefer simple foods, like pasta, bread, cheese, and wine.”
We can’t help but chuckle at comments like these. Are there chemicals in our food? Yes, and elements, too! All food is made of chemicals—but of course that’s not the intent of the question. These people are really asking us why some of our recipes call for refined or unfamiliar chemicals.
As I like to remind people, everything is chemical! Check the link for more. And for a list of the most common “chemical” ingredients click here.