Additives
E numbers: every food additive and what it is
A list of 210 food additives by E number, with the names they go by on a label. For 74 of them, what EFSA, the FDA and others have said, with sources.
Sources checked September 26, 2026
Colors
| E100 | Curcumin |
| E101 | Riboflavin |
| E102 | Tartrazine |
| E104 | Quinoline yellow |
| E110 | Sunset yellow FCF |
| E120 | Carmine |
| E122 | Carmoisine |
| E123 | Amaranth |
| E124 | Ponceau 4R |
| E127 | Erythrosine (Red No. 3) |
| E129 | Allura red AC |
| E131 | Patent blue V |
| E132 | Indigotine (Blue No. 2) |
| E133 | Brilliant blue FCF |
| E140 | Chlorophyll |
| E141 | Copper chlorophyllin |
| E142 | Green S |
| E150a | Plain caramel |
| E150c | Ammonia caramel |
| E150d | Sulfite ammonia caramel |
| E151 | Brilliant black BN |
| E153 | Vegetable carbon |
| E155 | Brown HT |
| E160a | Beta-carotene |
| E160b | Annatto |
| E160c | Paprika extract |
| E160d | Lycopene |
| E160e | Beta-apo-8′-carotenal |
| E161b | Lutein |
| E162 | Beetroot red |
| E163 | Anthocyanins |
| E170 | Calcium carbonate |
| E171 | Titanium dioxide |
| E172 | Iron oxides |
| E173 | Aluminum |
| E174 | Silver |
| E175 | Gold |
Preservatives
| E200 | Sorbic acid |
| E202 | Potassium sorbate |
| E203 | Calcium sorbate |
| E210 | Benzoic acid |
| E211 | Sodium benzoate |
| E212 | Potassium benzoate |
| E213 | Calcium benzoate |
| E220 | Sulfur dioxide |
| E221 | Sodium sulfite |
| E222 | Sodium bisulfite |
| E223 | Sodium metabisulfite |
| E224 | Potassium metabisulfite |
| E226 | Calcium sulfite |
| E228 | Potassium bisulfite |
| E234 | Nisin |
| E235 | Natamycin |
| E239 | Hexamine |
| E242 | Dimethyl dicarbonate |
| E249 | Potassium nitrite |
| E250 | Sodium nitrite |
| E251 | Sodium nitrate |
| E252 | Potassium nitrate |
| E260 | Acetic acid |
| E261 | Potassium acetate |
| E262 | Sodium acetate |
| E263 | Calcium acetate |
| E270 | Lactic acid |
| E280 | Propionic acid |
| E281 | Sodium propionate |
| E282 | Calcium propionate |
| E284 | Boric acid |
| E285 | Borax |
| E290 | Carbon dioxide |
| E296 | Malic acid |
| E297 | Fumaric acid |
Antioxidants and acidity regulators
| E300 | Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) |
| E301 | Sodium ascorbate |
| E302 | Calcium ascorbate |
| E304 | Ascorbyl palmitate |
| E306 | Tocopherols (vitamin E) |
| E307 | Alpha-tocopherol |
| E308 | Gamma-tocopherol |
| E309 | Delta-tocopherol |
| E310 | Propyl gallate |
| E315 | Erythorbic acid |
| E316 | Sodium erythorbate |
| E319 | TBHQ |
| E320 | BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) |
| E321 | BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) |
| E322 | Lecithin |
| E325 | Sodium lactate |
| E326 | Potassium lactate |
| E327 | Calcium lactate |
| E330 | Citric acid |
| E331 | Sodium citrate |
| E332 | Potassium citrate |
| E333 | Calcium citrate |
| E334 | Tartaric acid |
| E335 | Sodium tartrate |
| E336 | Potassium tartrate |
| E338 | Phosphoric acid |
| E339 | Sodium phosphate |
| E340 | Potassium phosphate |
| E341 | Calcium phosphate |
| E385 | Calcium disodium EDTA |
| E392 | Rosemary extract |
Thickeners, stabilizers and emulsifiers
| E400 | Alginic acid |
| E401 | Sodium alginate |
| E402 | Potassium alginate |
| E404 | Calcium alginate |
| E405 | Propylene glycol alginate |
| E406 | Agar |
| E407 | Carrageenan |
| E410 | Locust bean gum |
| E412 | Guar gum |
| E413 | Tragacanth |
| E414 | Gum arabic (acacia gum) |
| E415 | Xanthan gum |
| E416 | Karaya gum |
| E417 | Tara gum |
| E418 | Gellan gum |
| E420 | Sorbitol |
| E421 | Mannitol |
| E422 | Glycerol |
| E432 | Polysorbate 20 |
| E433 | Polysorbate 80 |
| E435 | Polysorbate 60 |
| E440 | Pectin |
| E442 | Ammonium phosphatides |
| E450 | Sodium acid pyrophosphate |
| E451 | Sodium tripolyphosphate |
| E452 | Sodium hexametaphosphate |
| E460 | Microcrystalline cellulose |
| E461 | Methyl cellulose |
| E463 | Hydroxypropyl cellulose |
| E464 | Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose |
| E466 | Carboxymethyl cellulose |
| E470a | 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 |
| E472b | Lactic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides |
| E472c | Citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides |
| E472e | DATEM |
| E473 | Sucrose esters of fatty acids |
| E475 | Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids |
| E476 | Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) |
| E477 | Propylene glycol esters of fatty acids |
| E481 | Sodium stearoyl lactylate |
| E482 | Calcium stearoyl lactylate |
| E491 | Sorbitan monostearate |
Acidity regulators and anti-caking agents
| E500 | Sodium carbonate |
| E501 | Potassium carbonate |
| E503 | Ammonium carbonate |
| E504 | Magnesium carbonate |
| E507 | Hydrochloric acid |
| E508 | Potassium chloride |
| E509 | Calcium chloride |
| E511 | Magnesium chloride |
| E516 | Calcium sulfate |
| E524 | Sodium hydroxide |
| E525 | Potassium hydroxide |
| E526 | Calcium hydroxide |
| E551 | Silicon dioxide |
| E552 | Calcium silicate |
| E553b | Talc |
| E570 | Fatty acids |
| E575 | Glucono-delta-lactone |
| E578 | Calcium gluconate |
Flavor enhancers
| E620 | Glutamic acid |
| E621 | Monosodium glutamate (MSG) |
| E627 | Disodium guanylate |
| E631 | Disodium inosinate |
| E635 | Disodium ribonucleotides |
| E640 | Glycine |
Glazing agents, gases and sweeteners
| E900 | Dimethylpolysiloxane |
| E901 | Beeswax |
| E903 | Carnauba wax |
| E904 | Shellac |
| E905 | Microcrystalline wax |
| E920 | L-cysteine |
| E938 | Argon |
| E941 | Nitrogen |
| E948 | Oxygen |
| E950 | Acesulfame K |
| E951 | Aspartame |
| E952 | Cyclamate |
| E953 | Isomalt |
| E954 | Saccharin |
| E955 | Sucralose |
| E957 | Thaumatin |
| E959 | Neohesperidin DC |
| E960 | Steviol glycosides (stevia) |
| E961 | Neotame |
| E962 | Aspartame-acesulfame salt |
| E965 | Maltitol |
| E966 | Lactitol |
| E967 | Xylitol |
| E968 | Erythritol |
| E969 | Advantame |
Other additives
| E1103 | Invertase |
| E1105 | Lysozyme |
| E1200 | Polydextrose |
| E1404 | Oxidized starch |
| E1412 | Distarch phosphate |
| E1414 | Acetylated distarch phosphate |
| E1420 | Acetylated starch |
| E1422 | Acetylated distarch adipate |
| E1442 | Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate |
| E1450 | Starch sodium octenyl succinate |
| E1505 | Triethyl citrate |
| E1518 | Triacetin |
| E1520 | Propylene glycol |