Why are some ingredients added?

If a food is good quality very little should need to be added. Foods that have a lot of extra additives usually have them added, as much of the ingredients' natural benefits and nutrition are lost during the manufacture of the food or more often than not because the ingredients are of poor quality in the first place. Some delicate vitamins that are easily damaged by the pre-cooking of food during its manufacture may genuinely require adding and, in cat food, taurine - an essential amino acid - is quite often added even to premium foods. However, it is the amount which is added that is important. The less that is added, means the ingredients are of a better quality and that the manufacturing process destroys less of the foods own initial vitamins, minerals and nutrients.