Current EU approved additives and their E Numbers
Most additives are only permitted to be used in certain foods and are subject to specific quantitative limits, so it is important to note this list should be used in conjunction with the appropriate EU Directives which can be viewed via the link at the bottom of this page.
Emulsifiers, Stabilisers, Thickeners and Gelling
Agents
When shopping you can find an additive on the list by first looking for its
category, such as colour or preservative, and then looking for its name or
number.
This list does not in any way supplement the law in this area, nor constitute
legal guidance.
|
E100 |
Curcumin |
|
E101 |
(i) Riboflavin |
|
|
(ii) Riboflavin-5'-phosphate |
|
E102 |
Tartrazine |
|
E104 |
Quinoline yellow |
|
E110 |
Sunset Yellow FCF; Orange Yellow S |
|
E120 |
Cochineal; Carminic acid; Carmines |
|
E122 |
Azorubine; Carmoisine |
|
E123 |
Amaranth |
|
E124 |
Ponceau 4R; Cochineal Red A |
|
E127 |
Erythrosine |
|
E129 |
Allura Red AC |
|
E131 |
Patent Blue V |
|
E132 |
lndigotine; Indigo Carmine |
|
E133 |
Brilliant Blue FCF |
|
E140 |
Chlorophylls and chlorophyllins |
|
E141 |
Copper complexes of chlorophyll and chlorophyllins |
|
E142 |
Green S |
|
E150a |
Plain caramel |
|
E150b |
Caustic sulphite caramel |
|
E150c |
Ammonia caramel |
|
E150d |
Sulphite ammonia caramel |
|
E151 |
Brilliant Black BN; Black PN |
|
E153 |
Vegetable carbon |
|
E154 |
Brown FK |
|
E155 |
Brown HT |
|
E160a |
Carotenes |
|
E160b |
Annatto; Bixin; Norbixin |
|
E160c |
Paprika extract; Capsanthian; Capsorubin |
|
E160d |
Lycopene |
|
E160e |
Beta-apo-8'-carotenal (C30) |
|
E160f |
Ethyl ester of beta-apo-8'-carotenoic acid (C30) |
|
E161b |
Lutein |
|
E161g |
Canthaxanthin |
|
E162 |
Beetroot Red; Betanin |
|
E163 |
Anthocyanins |
|
E170 |
Calcium carbonate |
|
E171 |
Titanium dioxide |
|
E172 |
Iron oxides and hydroxides |
|
E173 |
Aluminium |
|
E174 |
Silver |
|
E175 |
Gold |
|
E180 |
Litholrubine BK |
|
E200 |
Sorbic acid |
|
E202 |
Potassium sorbate |
|
E203 |
Calcium sorbate |
|
E210 |
Benzoic acid |
|
E211 |
Sodium benzoate |
|
E212 |
Potassium benzoate |
|
E213 |
Calcium benzoate |
|
E214 |
Ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate |
|
E215 |
Sodium ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate |
|
E218 |
Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate |
|
E219 |
Sodium methyl p-hydroxybenzoate |
|
E220 |
Sulphur dioxide |
|
E221 |
Sodium sulphite |
|
E222 |
Sodium hydrogen sulphite |
|
E223 |
Sodium metabisulphite |
|
E224 |
Potassium metabisulphite |
|
E226 |
Calcium sulphite |
|
E227 |
Calcium hydrogen sulphite |
|
E228 |
Potassium hydrogen sulphite |
|
E230 |
Biphenyl; diphenyl |
|
E231 |
Orthophenyl phenol |
|
E232 |
Sodium orthophenyl phenol |
|
E234 |
Nisin |
|
E235 |
Natamycin |
|
E239 |
Hexamethylene tetramine |
|
E242 |
Dimethyl dicarbonate |
|
E249 |
Potassium nitrite |
|
E250 |
Sodium nitrite |
|
E251 |
Sodium nitrate |
|
E252 |
Potassium nitrate |
|
E280 |
Propionic acid |
|
E281 |
Sodium propionate |
|
E282 |
Calcium propionate |
|
E283 |
Potassium propionate |
|
E284 |
Boric acid |
|
E285 |
Sodium tetraborate; borax |
|
E1105 |
Lysozyme |
|
E300 |
Ascorbic acid |
|
E301 |
Sodium ascorbate |
|
E302 |
Calcium ascorbate |
|
E304 |
Fatty acid esters of ascorbic acid |
|
E306 |
Tocopherols |
|
E307 |
Alpha-tocopherol |
|
E308 |
Gamma-tocopherol |
|
E309 |
Delta-tocopherol |
|
E310 |
Propyl gallate |
|
E311 |
Octyl gallate |
|
E312 |
Dodecyl gallate |
|
E315 |
Erythorbic acid |
|
E316 |
Sodium erythorbate |
|
E319 |
Tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) |
|
E320 |
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) |
|
E321 |
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) |
|
E586 |
4-Hexylresorcinol |
|
E420 |
(i) Sorbitol |
|
|
(ii) Sorbitol syrup |
|
E421 |
Mannitol |
|
E953 |
lsomalt |
|
E965 |
(i) Maltitol |
|
|
(ii) Maltitol syrup |
|
E966 |
Lactitol |
|
E967 |
Xylitol |
|
E968 |
Erythritol |
|
E950 |
Acesulfame K |
|
E951 |
Aspartame |
|
E952 |
Cyclamic acid and its Na and Ca salts |
|
E954 |
Saccharin and its Na, K and Ca salts |
|
E955 |
Sucralose |
|
E957 |
Thaumatin |
|
E959 |
Neohesperidine DC |
|
E962 |
Salt of aspartame-acesulfame |
|
E322 |
Lecithins |
|
E400 |
Alginic acid |
|
E401 |
Sodium alginate |
|
E402 |
Potassium alginate |
|
E403 |
Ammonium alginate |
|
E404 |
Calcium alginate |
|
E405 |
Propane-1,2-diol alginate |
|
E406 |
Agar |
|
E407 |
Carrageenan |
|
E407a |
Processed eucheuma seaweed |
|
E410 |
Locust bean gum; carob gum |
|
E412 |
Guar gum |
|
E413 |
Tragacanth |
|
E414 |
Acacia gum; gum arabic |
|
E415 |
Xanthan gum |
|
E416 |
Karaya gum |
|
E417 |
Tara gum |
|
E418 |
Gellan gum |
|
E425 |
Konjac |
|
E426 |
Soybean hemicellulose |
|
E432 |
Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate; Polysorbate 20 |
|
E433 |
Polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate; Polysorbate 80 |
|
E434 |
Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate; Polysorbate 40 |
|
E435 |
Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate; Polysorbate 60 |
|
E436 |
Polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate; Polysorbate 65 |
|
E440 |
Pectins |
|
E442 |
Ammonium phosphatides |
|
E444 |
Sucrose acetate isobutyrate |
|
E445 |
Glycerol esters of wood rosins |
|
E460 |
Cellulose |
|
E461 |
Methyl cellulose |
|
E462 |
Ethyl cellulose |
|
E463 |
Hydroxypropyl cellulose |
|
E464 |
Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose |
|
E465 |
Ethyl methyl cellulose |
|
E466 |
Carboxy methyl cellulose |
|
E468 |
Crosslinked sodium carboxy methyl cellulose |
|
E469 |
Enzymatically hydrolysed carboxy methyl cellulose |
|
E470a |
Sodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids |
|
E470b |
Magnesium salts of fatty acids |
|
E471 |
Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids |
|
E472a |
Acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids |
|
E472b |
Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids |
|
E472c |
Citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids |
|
E472d |
Tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids |
|
E472e |
Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids |
|
E472f |
Mixed acetic and tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids |
|
E473 |
Sucrose esters of fatty acids |
|
E474 |
Sucroglycerides |
|
E475 |
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids |
|
E476 |
Polyglycerol polyricinoleate |
|
E477 |
Propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids |
|
E479b |
Thermally oxidised soya bean oil interacted with mono and diglycerides of fatty acids |
|
E481 |
Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate |
|
E482 |
Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate |
|
E483 |
Stearyl tartrate |
|
E491 |
Sorbitan monostearate |
|
E492 |
Sorbitan tristearate |
|
E493 |
Sorbitan monolaurate |
|
E494 |
Sorbitan monooleate |
|
E495 |
Sorbitan monopalmitate |
|
E1103 |
Invertase |