E numbers (food additives)

In short: E numbers are EU-wide codes for approved food additives, for example E330 for citric acid. The “E” stands for Europe.

In more detail: Additives serve a technical purpose: colouring, preserving, sweetening, thickening, or mixing fat and water. Before a substance gets an E number, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluates it. Approved means: assessed as safe at the permitted amount, not “healthy”.

Our context: The product scanner recognises every E number in the ingredient list, names it with its purpose and rates it on four levels.

In Depth

Number ranges

• E100–E199: colours
• E200–E299: preservatives
• E300–E399: antioxidants, acids, acidity regulators
• E400–E499: thickeners, gelling agents, emulsifiers, stabilisers
• E500–E599: acidity regulators, anti-caking agents, raising agents
• E600–E699: flavour enhancers
• E900–E999: glazing agents, sweeteners and more
• E1000 and above: others, such as modified starches (E14xx)

Labelling

In the ingredient list the class appears with the name or number, for example “acidity regulator (citric acid)” or “colour E150d”. The fewer additives, the less processed a product usually is.

How the scanner’s traffic light works

• unremarkable: naturally occurring or well-studied substances (for example citric acid E330, ascorbic acid E300)
• note: relevant for some people (for example sulphites, sugar alcohols with a laxative effect)
• critically discussed: approved but controversial (for example some azo dyes, nitrite in large amounts)
• not approved: no longer allowed in the EU (for example titanium dioxide E171)

See also: Food colourings, Preservatives, Sweeteners and sugar alcohols, Titanium dioxide (E171)